35,000 protesters to push sovereignty, human rights at Duterte SONA
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 11:46:07 +0000
FROM 30,000 to 35,000 protesters under the umbrella Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will mass at the House of Representatives on Monday when President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address.
The “Martsa para sa Kalayaan at Pagkakamit ng Pambansang Soberanya Laban sa Estados Unidos at sa China (March for Freedom and Attainment of National Sovereignty against the United States and China)” will be the theme of the protest.
“Dapat maipaglaban ang ating pambansang soberanya laban sa mga imperyalistang Estados Unidos at China (We should fight for our national sovereignty against the imperialist United States),” Kilusang Mayo Uno President Ramon Labog said, referring to the Philippines’ sea dispute and Mutual Defense with China and the United States respectively.
Raymond Palatino from Bayan-NCR said that the government failed to address the military build-up of China and cases of aggression against the fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea.
“For a government na sinasabing may close relations sa China, bakit di niya kayang magbigay ng matapang na pananalita tulad ng matapang na statement sa Canada o Iceland (For a government saying it has close relations with China, why can it not issue strong statements like it did against Canada or China)?” Palatino said.
He said the government could avail of legal instruments to assert its rights instead of invoking the MDT as the country was not under attack or declaring war as a foreign policy in violation of the Constitution.
Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay denounced the government’s unwillingness to welcome an international investigation into the human rights situation in the Philippines through the Iceland resolution, which was approved by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this week.
“Huwag pong gamitin ang tinatawag nilang sovereignty card ng administrasyon na ito na halos hindi mo marinig ang pagtatanggol sa soberanya at patrimonya ng bansa pag pinag-uusapan ang US, pag pinag-uusapan ang China pero ambilis-bilis na lumalabas sa kanilang mga bibig, sa bibig ng mga opisyal ng administrasyong ito pag tinitignan na ang record nito sa karapatang pantao at respeto sa karapatan ng mamamayan (The so-called sovereignty card should not be used by the administration that does not defend the sovereignty and patrimony of the country as far as the US and China are concerned but is quick to use sovereignty against an investigation into the people’s rights),” Palabay said.
The protesters will also be pushing the wage increase and an end to contractualization, land distribution and opposition to the rice tariffication law for farmers, jobs in the country and protection of overseas workers, and the rising costs of commodities and quality of public services such as water supply.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno, Karapatan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Pamalakaya, Gabriela, Kadamay, Piston, and Migrante International are among the participating organizations.
Palatino also warned of “fake news” and disinformation to discourage people from joining the protests. He also denounced the police’s advice against wearing jackets and carrying bags during the rally, saying that these only creates fear.
“Ang ganyang mungkahi ay unreasonable, unnecessary. Wala po kaming ibang nakikitang dahilan kundi lumikha ng takot, discourage people from joining the rallies (Such suggestion is unreasonable and unnecessary. We do not see any reason for it other than creating fear and discouraging people from joining the rallies),” Palatino said. DIVINA NOVA JOY DELA CRUZ
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