Push Admin

'Duterte Youth' get 'Republic Defenders' pin after Paredes confrontation

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/02/27/rep-defenders-022717.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Solicitor General Jose Calida pins a &quot;Republic Defenders&quot; pin on a member of the Duterte Youth on Monday. <cite>Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday honored members of the Duterte Youth with a &quot;Republic Defenders&quot; pin after their controversial encounter with singer Jim Paredes.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LOOK: SolGen Calida awards Duterte Youth members with Republic Defenders pin after controversial encounter w/ Jim Paredes. | <a href="https://twitter.com/migueldumaual">@migueldumaual</a> <a href="https://t.co/qPDBi5gmCq">pic.twitter.com/qPDBi5gmCq</a></p>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/836133355456458752">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Calida commended the group and said they were &quot;aggrieved&quot; after Paredes, a staunch Duterte critic, confronted members of the Duterte Youth at a rally at the People Power monument Saturday.</p><p>Duterte Youth leader Ronald Gian Cardema said Calida gave them a pin, signifying their membership to the &quot;Republic Defenders,&quot; an organization that he said was founded by Calida.</p><p>&quot;Binigyan lang kami ng pin, pinagtanggol kami because we were defending the president and the country,&quot; Cardema told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview Tuesday.</p><p>Recalling what happened Saturday, Cardema said they mustered courage to go to the EDSA commemoration, which was attended by critics of the Duterte administration.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Duterte Youth member: EDSA anniv rally was no ordinary rally, it was attended by people who want the president out <a href="https://t.co/vWo1akioIO">pic.twitter.com/vWo1akioIO</a></p>— Jose Miguel Dumaual (@migueldumaual) <a href="https://twitter.com/migueldumaual/status/836122875966840836">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>&quot;Tinatatagan namin loob namin, kahit kaunti kami, kasi we&#x27;re here to show support to the president of the land,&quot; a member of the group said.</p><p>&quot;Diba EDSA is a beacon of free expression? We were there to show support to the president. Hindi namin alam masama pala &#x27;yun,&quot; he added.</p><p>A confrontation ensued between Paredes and members of the Duterte Youth along EDSA Saturday as the country marked the 31st anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/26/17/watch-jim-paredes-berates-duterte-youth-members">WATCH:Jim Paredes berates Duterte Youth members</a></li></ul><p>In a tweet following the confrontation, Paredes said he had an &quot;<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/26/17/paredes-on-clash-with-duterte-youth-so-satisfying-to-shut-them-up"><strong>enjoyable</strong></a>&quot; confrontation with the group and that it was &quot;so satisfying to shut them up.&quot;</p><div><em>Editor&#x27;s note: This story has been updated to add details about the &quot;Republic Defenders.&quot;</em></div><div><strong>- reports from Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday honored members of the Duterte Youth with a "Republic Defenders" pin after their controversial encounter with singer Jim Paredes.</p>

Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday honored members of the Duterte Youth with a "Republic Defenders" pin after their controversial encounter with singer Jim Paredes.