Amid People Power calls, Palace asks what for, to overthrow PBBM?

Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte have urged the public to gather along EDSA for a “People Power” demonstration in protest of Duterte’s arrest and extradition to The Hague on Tuesday.

Among those calling for mass action is Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, Atty. Harry Roque, who said the gathering would be an exercise of democratic rights in opposition to what he called an "unconstitutional arrest."

However, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro warned that organizing a mass demonstration on the scale of the original People Power revolts in 1986 and 2001 could be seen as an attempt to overthrow the government.

“Isn't this to overthrow of the government?” Castro said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

She emphasized that the case against Duterte is not a fabrication but a real legal process based on testimonies and evidence.

“First of all, there is an arrest warrant, secondly, there is a case filed. Third, there are alleged victims who will speak about the case. This is not just a made-up story. There are victims, this is not planting evidence. The case did not come from the Philippines. This case is pending at the ICC,” she said.

Castro also challenged Duterte’s supporters to justify their call for a political uprising.

“What would be their reason to encourage the public to revolt against the government, while the government is working, enforcing the law,” she asked.

She urged the public to remain critical and informed about the ongoing situation.

“This case at the ICC was not fabricated by the government. It was created during the time of former President Duterte, it was created by President Duterte's war on drugs and he admitted to it. Why blame the issuance of the arrest warrant, the sending of him to the ICC, when he himself, former President Duterte, said, ‘sue me, I will take all the legal responsibilities on this. Why are we crying now, when we are just enforcing the law?" Castro said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to lift the heightened alert status imposed on Tuesday following Duterte’s arrest.