Not enough, protesters say of Congress revamp
The leadership reshuffle at the House of Representatives is “not enough,” according to organizers of the protests scheduled on Sept. 21, because no one has so far been held accountable and traditional politicians even appeared to have been victorious in both chambers of Congress.
“We feel that’s not enough,” former Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, now chair of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), said at a press conference in Quezon City on Wednesday, along with the other protest organizers.
“It’s not enough for there to be staged investigations. It’s not enough for there to be a reshuffle in leadership,” he said. “What’s needed is for everyone involved to be held accountable. They should be imprisoned.”
Former House lawmaker Liza Maza, who was also at the briefing, said: “The people won’t be satisfied with investigations, with a commission, with a reshuffle both in the Senate and in Congress.”
Maza, who represented Bayan Muna and the Gabriela Women’s Party in the 12th, 13th and 14th Congress, is now president of the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan).
She noted that while employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways were sacked and charged for corruption over “ghost” and substandard flood control projects, the politicians tagged by spouses, Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, at a Senate hearing, have remained untouched.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was one of the lawmakers named by Curlee Discaya, stepped down from his post on Wednesday, while his Senate counterpart, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, was ousted in a coup after he admitted to receiving a P30 million donation from a government contractor.
Need for justice
“There needs to be justice,” Maza insisted. “There needs to be justice for the poor who always bear the brunt of these corrupt traditional politicians.”
Protest organizers said that is the message of the series of protests scheduled for Sept. 21 at two locations—Rizal Park, or Luneta, in Manila and the two People’s Power sites along Edsa in Quezon City.
Casiño and Maza said their groups would initially join the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance’s (Tama Na) Baha at Luneta on the morning of Sept. 21, also the 53rd anniversary of the 1972 declaration of martial law by then President Ferdinand Marcos.
Transport group Manibela, which kicked off a three-day transport strike against corruption on Wednesday, said its members would also join the protests at Luneta and Edsa. They would also provide free rides for those who would join the rallies at either site.
“We will participate on Sept. 21 at Luneta and Edsa. All the members of the Manibela who are here in Luzon will join us,” said Manibela chair Mar Balbuena.
Another transport group, Piston, is also set to hold a transport strike on Thursday against corruption. Other groups, including civic and religious organizations, have also announced plans to join the protests.
Multisectoral participants
Casiño said the Tama Na group has permits to start the protest at 9 a.m. on Sunday, with other participating organizations expected to initially gather at Baclaran Church in Parañaque City; the Mall of Asia in Pasay City; and the Quezon City Hall at 6 a.m. before proceeding to Manila.
United Methodist Church pastor and National Council of Churches in the Philippines member Glofie Baluntong announced they would hold an ecumenical gathering at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente Central Office along Taft Avenue at 7 a.m., while Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order chair and Chinese Filipino civic leader Teresita Ang-See said their group would convene in Intramuros at 7:30 a.m. before marching to Luneta Park.
According to Tama Na convenor and De La Salle University professor David Michael San Juan, educational institutions will march from the Philippine General Hospital along Taft Avenue and converge with groups on TM Kalaw Avenue by 8 a.m. on Sept. 21. The University of the Philippines Diliman University Student Council also said there would be a protest action at the campus at 7 a.m. before proceeding to Luneta.
Casiño said the Luneta program is expected to last until 1 p.m., after which their group would march to the Mendiola Peace Arch before joining the Trillion Peso March along Edsa and the People Power Monument in Quezon City. —WITH A REPORT FROM MARY JOY SALCEDO
