A day for protests, a prayer for healing

ALL over the country last Thursday, September 21, National Day of Protest was marked by rallies, demonstrations, and meetings, espousing a variety of causes but generally calling for respect for human rights.

It was the 45th anniversary of the proclamation of martial law in 1972, but while this was the focus at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, where a martial law survivor recounted his harrowing experiences, the activities elsewhere dealt with more contemporary events in the country today.

At the University of the Philippines (UP) Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman, Quezon City, a Mass for Justice was led by the Kaya Natin Movement, Tindig Pilipinas, and other youth groups. It was attended by Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno S. Aquino III.

At Rizal Park, the Movement against Tyranny condemned the killing of Kian de los Santos and other minors, other killings in the war on drugs, as well as the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Similar rallies were held in the provinces. In Iloilo, the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform held a symposium on the causes of armed conflict and killings. Bayan Pinoy, Akbayan, and other groups joined in a rally outside the campus of the UP Visayas and at the Iloilo provincial capitol. The Dakila Iloilo Collective led a gathering focusing on the deaths of Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Reynaldo de Guzman.

In Tacloban City, the Freedom from Debt Coalition led groups that unveiled a marker for Redemptorist priest Fr. Rudy Romano, abducted by armed men in Cebu City, whose fate remains unknown to this day.

President Duterte may have called it a Day of Protest, but some chose to use it to demonstrate their support. They gathered at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo in blue, orange, and white shirts. They cited the government’s programs on corruption, peace and stability, and the promise of real change.

In Baguio City, organizers of “Peace Buzz” – Biyaheng Kapayapaan Caravan – chose the day to launch the project to demonstrate the Cordillera people’s solidarity with the people of Marawi. It will travel via Quezon City, Legaspi City, Catbalogan City, Butuan City, Davao City, Cotabato City, Iligan City, and finally to Marawi City for the closing ceremony for National Peace Consciousness Month.

Days before the Day of Protest, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) had issued a pastoral a letter calling for a stop to killings that have taken place in recent months, particularly of the three teenagers Kian, Carl, and Reynaldo.

The bishops called for prayers not only for those killed in the drugs campaign but also in the war in Marawi. They called for the pealing of church bells at 8 p.m. every day for 40 days, for the lighting of candles in remembrance of the dead, and for contributions to the support and schooling of orphaned children.

“Lord, heal our land,” the pastoral letter prayed. After all the protests – and in the face of the continuing fighting in Mindanao – it would be well for the nation and its leaders to focus now on correcting any abuses and excesses that may have been committed, on bringing together those who may have begun to feel alienated, on healing and strengthening our nation.