Smaller crowd, shorter program in Nov. 30 march vs corruption
Protesters gathered on Sunday for the Baha sa Luneta 2.0 rally that saw a smaller number of attendees and a shorter program compared to the Sept. 21 mass gathering.
Malacañang, nevertheless, said it felt the people’s anger and their impatience.
“To those attending the rallies and those who will join future gatherings, this is all I can say: We feel you, we hear you, and we will not disappoint you,” said Communications Secretary Dave Gomez, who noted that President Marcos has been closely monitoring protest actions sparked by the flood control corruption scandal.
He said the President was committed to pursue accountability in the controversy he himself had exposed as the third major anticorruption rally this year went underway at Luneta in Ermita, Manila. It drew about 3,000 participants from youth groups, labor unions, civil society organizations and faith-based networks.
The rally ended at around 12:30 p.m., but it had a hard-fought battle long before it began at 10:30 a.m. after about an hour and a half delay.
Disruptions
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), one of the organizers, criticized the Manila police for causing disruptions that affected the number of attendees.
“They disrupted many things in our protest. It discouraged people from coming and staying. Many people arrived early, but then the start of the program was delayed,” said Bayan secretary general Mong Palatino in an interview after the rally.
Bayan said it was supposed to set up the stage and close the roads as early as 12 a.m. but was prevented by the Manila police who had asked for the group’s permit to conduct the rally.
“This is clearly intended to sabotage the protest, discourage people from joining the rally, and suppress the demand to make Marcos Jr. accountable for the large-scale corruption in the government,” the group said in a statement.
Palatino said that while they did not have a permit for Sunday’s protest, they had already coordinated with authorities.
He explained that the organizers “agreed to a verbal permit” because the local agencies they had spoken to did not want to issue one, reasoning that the area was outside their jurisdiction.
He noted that Rizal Park is a public space which meant that permits are not necessary.
Stolen taxes
During the rally, several public figures called for transparency and accountability to prevail in the flood control probe.
“Our criteria for [Vice President] Sara [Duterte], is also my criteria for Marcos … They should all be treated the same. All of those involved, must be held accountable,” said actress Mae Paner, who came dressed as former first lady and presidential mother Imelda Marcos.
De La Salle University professor and TAMA NA convener David San Juan pointed out that no legislators have been convicted so far.
He also called on Mr. Marcos and Duterte to resign if they had “delicadeza,” despite appeals by other rally organizers to refrain from ouster calls amid reports of destabilization against the Marcos administration.
Veteran actress Bibeth Orteza, meanwhile, quoted Filipino director and actress Gina Alajar in her speech representing local film industry workers.
“Every year when tax season comes, I go through the same inner struggle. I can’t deny that it’s painful to pay my taxes when I hear again and again stories of stealing, corruption, and the misuse of our money,” Orteza said, reading Alajar’s letter.
Veteran actress Carmi Martin urged the attendees to pray for the country. She also shared Alajar and Orteza’s sentiments, emphasizing that taxes including those paid by actors like herself are being stolen.
Demand for action
At the Trillion Peso March that took place simultaneously in White Plains Avenue, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray called on senators to suspend their colleagues involved in the corruption scandal.
“We demand action,” Gray said in her speech. “To the Ombudsman, file the cases now. To the senators, suspend the senators implicated, and to Congress, pass the antipolitical dynasty bill.”
“They said that Filipinos have a short memory, that it’s easy for us to forgive and forget, but believe us when we say that we will not forget what you did and no one will move on unless no one gets accountable,” she added. “We are the generation that will not let corruption win.”
Gray’s call was echoed by other protesters who carried placards calling for Senators Chiz Escudero, Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada to be jailed. The three allegedly benefited from infrastructure projects, accusations which they have vehemently denied. —WITH REPORTS FROM DEXTER CABALZA, GILLIAN VILLANUEVA, KEITH CLORES, JOHN ERIC MENDOZA and PNA
