Bulatlat - The Philippines's alternative weekly magazine

Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Vol. VI, No. 4 February 26 - March 4, 2006 Quezon City, Philippines

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	PHOTO ESSAY They Were Not Cowed Protesters, under Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance), trooped to the EDSA Shrine Feb. 24 to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of EDSA 1, which toppled the Marcos dictatorship, while calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They later proceeded to Ayala, Makati and joined other groups, that of former President Corazon Aquino, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the People�s Movement Against Poverty, the Laban ng Masa (People�s Fight), Bangon (Rise Up), among others, in a broad display of defiance against the Arroyo administration�s declaration of a state of national emergency. TEXT BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO Bulatlat Protesters, under Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance), trooped to the EDSA Shrine Feb. 24 to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of EDSA 1, which toppled the Marcos dictatorship, while calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Their placards bespoke of the misery of the masses who were the real heroes of EDSA I. The memories summoned by the commemoration of EDSA I's 20^th year was such that even those who could barely walk took pains and thought up creative ways to get there. By late morning the EDSA crowd had grown to approximately the size of the crowd which had massed up in the same place on Jan. 16, 2001 � the first day of the EDSA II uprising which deposed then President Joseph Estrada. At noontime, following President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's issuance of Proclamation No. 1017, which declares the entire Philippines as being in a state of national emergency, the ranks of the anti-riot police had swollen and started to disperse the EDSA crowd. That was not the end for them, however. Photos by Voltaire Domingo, Next Pictures Photo Agency For the next nearly four hours, they braved the scorching afternoon heat as they marched to San Juan and then to Mandaluyong and finally to Ayala Avenue in Makati City, where former President Corazon Aquino and her friends were laying wreaths at the foot of the monument of her late husband, anti-Marcos oppositionist Benigno �Ninoy� Aquino Jr. whose murder in 1983 provoked millions of unorganized masses, middle-class people and businessmen to join the growing ranks of anti-dictatorship fighters. The crowd that marched from EDSA were to join Aquino and her friends for the wreath-laying ceremonies. But it took some time before they could get to the foot of the Ninoy Aquino monument as they were initially stopped by anti-riot police, whose front liners were mostly women. The anti-riot police would finally let them pass. At the foot of the Ninoy Aquino monument the group of Bayan, former President Corazon Aquino, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the People�s Movement Against Poverty, the Laban ng Masa (People�s Fight), Bangon (Rise Up), among others, joined together in prayer and defiance. Bulatlat All other photos by Dabet Casta�eda BACK TO TOP ■ COMMENT � 2006 Bulatlat ■ Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.