Protesters urged to postpone rallies until after Asean summit
Looks like the overnight beautification of certain roads and areas for next week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit is not limited to hiding eyesores.
Malacañang and a security official overseeing preparations for the country’s hosting of the Asean Summit have appealed to activist groups to hold off protest activities until the regional gathering has concluded.
It’s a way for Filipinos to show respect to visiting foreign leaders, they said.
“We are simply asking that, since you have plenty of time to express whatever you want to tell the government, it would be better if you did not hold the rallies at the same time as the arrival of our visitors,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on Tuesday.
Retired Maj. Gen. Potenciano Camba, deputy director general for operations of the Asean National Organizing Council, said the government recognized the public’s right to peaceful assembly but hoped protesters would defer their demonstrations until after the summit, “because it would not look good to have protests while we have visitors,” he told state-run PTV 4 on Monday.
Security preparations
The Philippines is preparing to host the 49th Asean Summit from Nov. 15 to 17, which will bring together leaders and delegations from the 11 member states, as well as dialogue partners China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, India and Canada.
US President Donald Trump, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are among the confirmed leaders participating in the event.
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie had already arrived in Manila on Monday for the Inclusive Growth Summit scheduled for Nov. 11.
Camba said more than 20 government agencies, along with local government units in Metro Manila, have been mobilized to secure the visiting leaders, delegates, and media personnel.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police said at least 19,000 personnel would be deployed to maintain peace and order during the summit.
The security preparations cover airports, roads, hotels, meeting venues, and the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, the main venue of the summit.
President Marcos declared Nov. 16 to 18 as special nonworking days in Metro Manila to alleviate traffic congestion and tighten security for the VIP participants. The government has arranged free rides for commuters to ease the impact of road closures.
‘Trivializing’ dissent
Some civic groups, however, criticized the administration’s call to defer protest activities as another attempt to discourage public dissent.
In a statement on Tuesday, Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights group Karapatan, described Camba’s remarks as an “attempt to delegitimize and trivialize the issues raised by protesters.”
Karapatan also slammed the “overkill response” of the Marcos administration to anticipated mass actions, saying the preparations may infringe on people’s rights to assemble and express dissent.
Transport group Piston announced on Tuesday that it will stage a transport strike on Nov. 16 and 17 to oppose Trump’s presence in the country.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) also said it plans to stage protests before, during, and after Trump’s visit and the Asean Summit.
The Palace on Tuesday also defended the cleaning operations conducted in some parts of Pasay and Parañaque cities and nearby areas, saying they were for the “safety” of the Asean delegates.
‘Hiding the poor’
“This is a matter of security, as nearly 20 heads of state will be visiting us… It is essential that we demonstrate that we are a nation capable of providing adequate security for the leaders who visit our country,” said Castro.
ACT Teachers party list Rep. Antonio Tinio had earlier accused the Marcos administration of “hiding the poor” and concealing poverty in Metro Manila by displacing street vendors, small businesses, and homeless people ahead of the event. —WITH A REPORT FROM SHERIDAN DELFINO
