Viral store owner Marie Dinglasan, popularly known as “Aling Marie” showed up at the anti-terrorism demonstration on Friday to oppose the controversial bill.
In an interview with Interaksyon, Dinglasan said she attended the event dubbed “Grand Mañanita” to personally air her opposition against the Anti-Terrorist Act 2020 feared to curtail civil liberties.
The bill that would give additional powers to authorities to deal with terrorists, is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.
Dinglasan, however, said the anti-terrorism measure will not only be used for that purpose and is prone to abuse.
“Talagang against ako diyan sapagkat hindi lang naman ‘yan gagamitin sa terorista e. Gagamitin ‘yan na kanilang pangdepensa, panakot. Iyan ang gagawin nila ‘di ba? So talagang against,” the store owner said.
“Hindi dapat. Tanga lang kasi yung mga umo-okay diyan. ‘Di nila naisip ‘yun, puwedeng gamitin sa kanila ‘yan, konting pagkakamali nila puwede na silang gamitan ng anti-terrorist bill…Sana mag-isip sila,” she appealed.
Early this week, Dinglasan became viral for her curse-laden Facebook live video where she called out supporters of Duterte and his policies.
Dinglasan in her mañanita speech, however, clarified that she has been raised to be respectful but she said that she only learned how to curse when the president came into office and also hurled out curses to citizens.
Duterte is known for his curse-laden speeches.
Asked if she experiences fear amid the hate and fame she got from her controversial video, Dinglasan said she has nothing to fear about because she is only speaking the truth.
“Wala naman akong dapat katakutan kasi hindi ako criminal. Wala namang aswang sa paligid, kung meron man yan yung mga gustong maminsala sa kapwa,” the store owner said.
‘Kayumanggi ako’
Meanwhile, Dinglasan stands by her remark that she remains non-partisan and is only expressing public dissent because she is a Filipino by heart.
“Yun ang katotohanan. Hindi naman talaga ako dilaw e. Tao ako e, dilaw kulay ‘di ba? So, hindi ako dilawan. Hindi rin ako puti. Hindi rin ako pula. Ako ay kayumanggi. Sana itanim nila sa utak nila yan,” she concluded.
Dinglasan said she is happy she attended the mañanita because she was able to have a discourse with the youth and managed to air the grievances she has been keeping for years. —With Deejae Dumlao
