I think we've seen enough now to make that statement:
Oda is NOT portraying Rocks and his crew of nutjobs as villains.
Heck, Oda actually portrays them as somewhat lovable rowdies: They are protecting and worshipping Shakky, they are going after corrupt organisations (the scumbag monastery), they're respecting guys like Garp and they genuinely seemed like chaotic, but cool and funny guys back then.
Oda does however, in stark contrast to the Rocks pirates, once again portrait the inner circle of the WG (Imu, Gorosei, CDs) as source of all evil.
This is precisely why - after seeing this flashback so far - I'm more convinced than ever that Imu is indeed going to be the final villain and not Blackbeard/Rocks.
What is your take on this after the recent developments?
I don't think generalising them is a good idea, each individual in rocks's crew has their own ambition and will be willing to sink low in order to attain them, from rapists like big mom to murderous yakuza like shiki and kyo.
Just because they can potentially do good deeds, in protecting shakky, it's still filled with selfish motives, they all want to use her and if they each one were in a situation where they could force themselves on shakky without consequence do you think they wouldn't impose themselves upon the "object" of their desires? because that is what shakky represents.
None of his removes their villainous qualities, in fact even though in this chapter they may be portrayed as "lovable rowdies", it still
does not nullify the villains they will become or have already become in other peoples lives, from prominent characters to the small people whose lives they have undoubtedly affected with the choices they make.
The other thing you do is generalise Rock's views as the rocks pirates views "they're respecting guys like garp" No, rock's opinion or respect does not extend to anyone else automatically.
They're doing whatever rocks tells them to, because they feel like they are in the position where they have no choice as of yet due to losing in a davy back fight. This does not mean they all have the same intentions and motives "going after corrupt organisations".
You can do one good thing to hide 1000 bad things you're doing or have already done. These are the kinds of people the crew is made out of.