BY MEDZ MONTEREAL
Contributed to Bulatlat.com
Posted August 21, 2008 – 4:10 p.m.
On the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan – New Patriotic Alliance) said they see the ‘looming shadows of the Marcos dictatorship in the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.’
The group said that August 21 is ‘a landmark date in the fight against corruption, abuse of power and gross humanninoy death rights violations.’ They held a protest in front of the late senator’s monument in Makati, Thursday afternoon.
Aquino, a leading critic of the Marcos dictatorship was was assassinated at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983.
In a statement, Renato Reyes Jr., Bayan secretary general said, “We see a president that refuses to learn from the lessons of history; one who is intent on repeating the mistakes of the past… Arroyo also wishes to perpetuate herself in power either through charter change or some Marcosian tactic of martial rule.”
Protesters held pictures of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Ferdinand Marcos.
Reyes said, “Ninoy’s death anniversary is a reminder of the price that was paid by those before us who fought the US-backed Marcos dictatorship…Under the US-backed Arroyo regime, many Filipinos continue to die fighting for the same causes of human rights, sovereignty and democracy.”
Bayan also condemned Arroyo’s all-out war in Mindanao, saying that it would ultimately fail if fundamental social problems are not addressed. (Posted by Bulatlat.com)
