Duterte, multi-sectoral groups joining ‘National Day of Protest’ today
Count President Rodrigo Duterte in in today’s “National Day of Protest.”
The President said he would be “very happy” to participate in the protest action to denounce the “yellow” forces involved in some irregularities in government.
Apart from the Chief Executive, various civil society organizations, youth groups, and the labor
sector are expected to join a march today to also mark the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos as well as to voice out the need to protect human rights.
Joint activities will be held simultaneously by the groups, headed by the Coalition Against the Marcos’ Burial (CAMB), In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDefend), Kalipunan ng Kilusang Masa, with Tindig Pilipinas, and Youth Resist.
In joining the protest action today, Duterte complained that these “very corrupt” officials could not be easily removed from office due to their fixed term.
“I would be very happy for you guys to join you,” he said during an interview with broadcaster Erwin Tulfo over PTV-4 television last Tuesday night.
“Ako magpo-protesta rin kasi maraming mga dilaw, nandiyan sa mga commission, napaka-corrupt. So, even ‘yung sa mga regulatory board, eh magpo-protesta rin ako [I will also protest because there are so many “yellow” people working in the commissions. They are very corrupt. Even those in the regulatory board. I will also protest] because I cannot remove them simply because they have a fixed term. There’s a security of tenure,” he said.
The President said the ouster of these officials could only be done by going through the civil service process or filing a case in court. “‘Yan ang problema ko rin. So pati ako, nagpoprotesta [That’s my problem so I am also protesting],” he said.
Pressed by Tulfo if he asked Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon to resign, the President said he did not but said it was a “matter of delicadeza.”
CHR scored Duterte bewailed that Gascon has become the “spokesman” of the Liberal Party, who has focused too much on some deaths linked to the drug war but has ignored other rights abuses.
“I am really pissed off because maraming patay na dapat tingnan ng itong Human Rights [because there are many deaths that must be looked into by the Human Rights],” he said.
He said the CHR has not raised a whimper or even appealed on behalf of the hostages held by terrorists in Marawi City. He said female hostages have reportedly been raped or forced into marriage with a terrorist.
“You never tried to condemn terrorism. My God, what kind of a government agency are you? You stick on one, or two, or three, make it a melodramatic affair for the – your protest, then ignoring all other deaths of Filipinos, which should have called your attention also,” he said.
The President, meantime, appealed to the public to “protest in peace” and avoid resorting to violence, such as vandalism and burning of properties, on Thursday.
Duterte said the protesters could even occupy EDSA for a month to a year as long as they keep their activity peaceful.
“I’d be happy na lahat ng may reklamo sa gobyerno, extrajudicial killing, corruption – kay ‘yan din ang reklamo ko ngayon – at iba pa, mga abuso ng gobyerno. Then I am inviting everybody, including those – ‘yung mga sabi nila mga Lumad na pinag – inaabuso, to come down and join the protest [I’d be happy that all those with complaints in government, extrajudicial killings, corruption – that’s also my complaint now – and other abuses in government, then I am in voting everybody, including the Lumad, to come down and join the protest], he said.
“Kaya ang tawag ko dito, ‘National Day of Protest’ to give them the space pati panahon talaga to enjoy their rights of – to peaceably assemble for a redress of grievance, na magsalita kayo kung saan man gusto ninyo, public property lang, huwag ‘yung private [That’s why it is called ‘National Day of Protest’ to give the space and time to enjoy their rights to peaceably assembly for a redress of grievance, express your sentiments anywhere - public property and not private],” he said.
‘Protest in peace’ Duterte said only traffic policemen would be deployed in affected areas to minimize the inconvenience of motorists and commuters.
“You’re free to do your thing, fine do it but let me also exercise my right – the freedom to use the streets. It is not a monopoly of rights here. We are equal citizens. I– I would say: Protest in peace,” he said.
In a press conference held Tuesday, organizers of the “Manlaban Para sa Karapatan” said the protest actions aim to remind the public of the ills of dictatorship, and push for people’s human rights.
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chair Elmer Labog said their members will be marching to Manila to remind the government of its duty to respect labor and human rights.
“A great number of our members will be in Mendiola as well as in Luneta,” Labog said.
The labor leader said foremost in the list of their demand will be calling on the administration to stop the mounting extra-judicial killings in its war on illegal drugs.
KMU also calls for the lifting of the martial law in Mindanao and the end of military operations in the region.
In Cebu, local militant groups will hold today an anti-dictatorship protest rally.
Dubbed as “A Gathering Against Tyranny” (AGAT), the rally is “intended to inhibit any form of [alleged] tyrannical direction of the Duterte administration,” Anakbayan-Central Visayas chapter Vice President Niño Olayvar said.
AGAT, which will kick off at the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda at around 1 p.m., expects to draw at least 700 participants.
Unlike past protests, Olayvar said they would march to the Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) regional office to dramatize that they “condemn” the decision of the House of Representatives to slash the commission’s budget to R1,000, down from its requested R678 million. Six ships hired Reports reaching Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), showed that critics of President Duterte allegedly hired six passenger ships purposely to ferry protesters from the Visayas and Mindanao to join the rallies in Metro Manila.
But Dela Rosa said they still have to validate this information.
“We expect that. While they are having difficulty in getting protesters from Luzon area, they are recruiting gullible natives there in Mindanao,” said Dela Rosa.
He also said that the PNP is also focusing on the possibility of the New People’s Army (NPA) joining the protest actions.
“They are also joining the rally. That’s why we are monitoring this because we don’t want a repeat of what happened in Kidapawan that the troops were instigated and this resulted in the firefight,” said Dela Rosa.
Security officials said that the protest action of farmers in Kidapawan City was infiltrated by communist rebels who allegedly fired the first shot, which eventually led to the violent confrontation. (With reports from Samuel P. Medenilla and Kier Edison C. Belleza)