A newly revived coalition warned Malacañang of a repeat of the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution, this time over the government's alleged inaction versus oil price hikes.
Various personalities led the revival of the Coalition Against Oil Price Increases or CAOPI, a group active during the 1980s.
This time, the convenors include Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino, former congressman Jacinto Paras, Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, among others.
UP profesor Danilo Arao, also one of the convenors, said there is a possibility that the issue will result in People Power since it affects motorists and eventually the masses.
Casiño said the president cannot depend on his high trust rating and do nothing about the oil price hikes.
Despite the group's strong stance, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. admits their group alone cannot stop the series of oil price increases, insisting that it is government's responsibility to do something about it.
The group called for support for a noise barrage on March 30, from 5 pm to 7 pm, to push Malacañang to act on the problem.
Palace: Gov't listening to people
Meantime, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda reiterated that the government is addressing the effects of the high oil prices, even as it maintains that the effects on the prices of basic goods are not as substantial.
He said that inflation is at 3 percent.
Lacerda was reacting to a statement from a coalition of multi-sectoral groups that reportedly warned of "people power" if government does not do something about the rising oil prices.
Lacierda said that the government listens to the people. He said that the administration cannot do nothing if certain groups would not believe that the government is doing something to address the situation. -- with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
