Roxas said this because based on the words and actions of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, as he wanted to imitate the work of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to curtail the freedom of the country and down the opponents of the government.
“Yung asal, ‘yung diwa ng Martial Law, na kung saan sila lang ang judge, jury, and executioner ‘yun ang nakita natin ‘yung Martial Law, di ba? Walang kalayaan, walang freedom of the press.
Walang mga civil liberties. Hindi puwede na mag-argue or mag-discuss. Iisa lang ang linya, ‘yung linya ng Malacañang. ‘Yun ang nakikita natin kay Duterte, di ba?,”
Roxas said in a press conference in Ozamis City.
Duterte's campaign promise was to curb criminality in the country within 3-6 months.
But according to Roxas, many innocent civilians can fall prey to Duterte's plan.
“Hindi kinakailangan ang extrajudicial killing. Hindi kinakailangan ang extrajudicial disappearances.
Hindi ko gusto na manumbalik tayo sa madilim na panahon ng Martial Law na kung saan basta-basta nalang nawawala ang isang tao, niha niho, nag-disappear nalang o kaya namatay na lang, makikita na lang ang bangkay dahil, quote-unquote, ‘naligpit na’. Hindi tama po ‘yon,”
righteousness of it.