Sheltered by two big tents, about 500 people from different peoples’ and political organizations, like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance), Black and White Movement, Akbayan, and Oust Gloria Movement, held a vigil dubbed as “Bantay Batasan” (Guard Batasan) near the south wing entrance of the House of Representatives.

They want to make sure that their impeachment complaint will be the first to be filed at the office of the House Secretary General tomorrow at 8 a.m., when the one-year ban on the filing of an impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expires.

To be sure that there will be no other complaint to be filed first, particularly that which will preempt the filing of a genuine impeachment complaint, Congressional staff members of Bayan Muna (People First), Gabriela and Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) have been assigned to guard all entry points to the Secretary General’s office.

A program featuring performances from cultural groups, showings of films such as “Crisis and Repression”, “Stop the Killings”, “The Face of Terrorism”, “Calibrated Preemptive Response”, “Ode to Democracy”, and “The People’s Verdict” by Kodao Productions, and speeches started at 5 p.m. and will end by 12 m.n. Morning exercises, like Tai chi, will done to wake up the crowd at 7 a.m. By 8 a.m., all will proceed to the office of the Secretary General for the filing of the People’s Impeachment Complaint.

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said that the filing of the complaint is about “seeking justice for Mrs. Arroyo’s victims” and for “making the president accountable.”

The verification of affidavits by the complainants was also being done simultaneous with the program at the office of the Minority.

Families of victims of human rights violations from the provinces traveled to Quezon City to take part in the filing. Among them were families of slain activists Romy Sanchez of Ilocos Sur, Beng Hernandez of Davao, Leo Punzal of Bulacan, Isaias Manano, Eden Marcellana, and couple Expedito and Manuela Albarillo of Mindoro Oriental.

More wanted to take part in the “Bantay Batasan” but the Lower Congress allowed only 500 people.

Reyes warned that there will be more people from various sectors who will troop to the Lower House tomorrow and that “the secretary general’s office may be too small to accommodate the many people who are interested in signing the impeachment complaint.” Bulatlat

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

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