Nationwide rallies set on Bonifacio Day
Anti-government groups and supporters of the administration have set separate rallies in various parts of the country on Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day, a senior security official bared yesterday.
The security official, who asked not be named, said that pro-government groups plan to assemble more than 300,000 supporters at the Don Chino Roces Bridge (Mendiola) near Malacañang to convince President Duterte to declare a revolutionary government.
“Aside from Mendiola, pro-revolutionary government rallies are currently being organized by several rightist groups on key cities across the country, the security official,” the official said.
What is puzzling, he said is that retired military officers identified with righwing groups were reportedly organizing the rallies to support a revolutionary government.
The pro-administration group also includes former communist leaders Nilo Tayag and Nilo dela Cruz.
Tayag was a former top official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) while Dela Cruz was formerly associated with the Revolutionary Proletariat Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) during the Aquino and Ramos administration.
The group, calling itself Democratic Front For Filipinism (DFF), is expected to resurrect its last year’s call for President Duterte to disband the country’s so-called political and economic oligarchs that have abused the poor by declaring a revolutionary government.
The security official, added that ongoing monitoring is likewise being done, on antigovernment groups as they are also planning to hold protest actions in key areas of the country on Bonifacio Day.
Aside from Mendiola, anti-government groups are expected to stage protest actions at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City.
Among issues expected to be raised by anti-government rallyists is President Duterte’s decision to terminate the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philipines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Font (CPPNPA-NDF).
“While there’s nothing illegal with these planned rallies on Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day of pro- and anti-government groups, this early we are already conducting close monitoring on these forthcoming twin big event, to prepare our ground troops in handling scenarios that may come up,” he said.
The Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines led by presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, has not taken a collective position yet on the proposed establishment of a revolutionary government.
“The Alliance respects their stand on this matter and recognizes their right to freedom of speech and expression and to peacefully assemble. However, the Alliance has not taken a collective position on this matter yet,” the group said in a statement yesterday. The group’s convernors said that they are aware of the support expressed by some member groups under the coalition for the establishment of a revolutionary government.
The Alliance also stressed that it is likewise aware that some allied members have organized activities related to the same cause.
“As a broad alliance of all groups that supported President Rodrigo Duterte and continue to support the Duterte administration, Tapang at Malaskit Alliance for the Philippines abides by the Constitution and respects the mandate and authority of the three branches of the Government,” the same statement read.
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