This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com).
Vol. VI, No. 23, July 17, 2006
All set for
SONA rally
BY EMILY VITAL Amid massive
security build-up and threats, the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) will mark Mrs. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) with a
nationally-coordinated protest. In a press conference,
Monday, Bayan Chairperson Dr. Carol Araullo vowed to stage all-out protests
against Arroyo’s all-out war declaration against the Left and her moves to
change the constitution. Bayan Secretary General
Renato Reyes, Jr. said they will lead 20, 000 hecklers and protesters during
this year’s SONA. “Even if there are 20,000 people heckling the President, the
Philippine National Police (PNP) is expected to observe maximum tolerance and
respect the rights of the protesters,” Reyes added The big rally will have to
face off with the biggest security detail for any SONA affair. Fourteen thousand
police men are set to be deployed for this year’s SONA. “The wannabe dictator has
to surround herself with so many policemen and soldiers just so she could
deliver a speech. It is a testament to the fact that this government is afraid
of its own people,” Araullo said. Araullo added, “The PNP is
again using the supposed bomb threats, and infiltration of Rightist elements and
of the New People’s Army. If there is something that will explode soon, it is
the Arroyo government. It will surely self-destruct soon.” In its
website, , a
parody of the Nazi dictator Hitler shows Mrs. Arroyo dressed in a Nazi uniform
with the swastika as background. An effigy with a similar theme is now being
constructed for the SONA rally by the artist group Ugat Lahi. The Arroyo effigy
will have mechanical arms that will do Hitler’s infamous salute. It will be
escorted by artists dressed as motorcycle-riding death squads. Allied organizations of
Bayan announced their participation to the SONA protest. Vencer Crisostomo, national
chairperson of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) said, “May klase o wala,
sa lansangan magkaklase ang mga kabataan para singilin ang Hitler sa Malacanang.”
(Whether or not there are classes, the Filipino students will hold their classes
in the streets to condemn the Hitler in Malacanang.) Crisostomo was hit by
policemen during a violent dispersal at Mendiola last week. Speaking for the Southern
Tagalog contingent, Armand Albarillo, Bayan-ST secretary general, said that the
families of victims of extrajudicial killings will join the SONA protest.
“Makakamit lang namin ang katarungan kung mapapaalis na si Gloria.” (We will
only have justice once Arroyo is unseated.) Karapatan Secretary General
Marie Hilao-Enriquez said that there are already 702 victims of extrajudicial
killings and 181 victims of enforced disappearances. “Arroyo’s all-out war has
targeted unarmed civilians. The killings must stop.” Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
■
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Groups Vow All-out Protest vs All-out War, Cha-Cha
Posted 4:07 p.m. July 17, 2006