More anticorruption rallies set on Oct. 17, 21 in Manila
Two major rallies against corruption will be held on Oct. 17 and Oct. 21 in Manila by the groups behind the Sept. 21 Luneta protest, the Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot said on Monday.
The “Baha sa Luneta” rally was organized by Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (Tama Na) and other organizations, while Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot is a network consisting of anticorruption groups whose members will also be joining the protests.
“Groups that spearheaded the massive protest in Luneta last Sept. 21 are gearing up for more mass actions in the coming weeks to sustain public pressure and demand accountability in the ongoing flood control and corruption scandals,” Kilusang Bayan said in a statement.
Youth groups will lead the rally and march to Mendiola in Manila on Oct. 17, it added.
“The youth refuse to be silent while billions in public funds are stolen. We will bring our voices to the gates of power,” the organizers said.
On the other hand, the Oct. 21 protest will be spearheaded by farmers’ groups from flood-affected areas at Liwasang Bonifacio to protest against what they refer to as an “obvious cover-up” of alleged corruption in Congress and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. They will be joined by multisectoral organizations.
Bigger mass action
Kilusang Bayan said that a group of over 100 people had coordinated with organizers of the mass action on Oct. 17, promising to “sustain their coordinated efforts” in the following weeks in preparation for a nationwide rally on Nov. 30 rally.
“These actions are part of our growing people’s movement against corruption and neglect. The government cannot sweep this under the rug,” the organizers stressed in the statement.
Although the Sept. 21 rally in Luneta ended peacefully, riots broke out afterward in Mendiola and Ayala Bridge, leading to the arrest of over 200 people, including minors, following clashes with the police.
Some of the rioters set fire to a trailer parked at the foot of the bridge while others hurled rocks at police officers blocking the road leading to Malacañang.
The Sept. 21 protests in Luneta and the People Power Monument on Edsa were prompted by revelations about corruption-tainted flood control projects that allegedly led to the pocketing of billions of pesos by some government officials, contractors and lawmakers.
