Duterte eyes ‘holiday’ for Sept. 21

President Rodrigo Duterte (File Photo from an RTVM video)

President Rodrigo Duterte is mulling to declare September 21 a holiday for government workers and students in Metro Manila in anticipation of the mass demonstrations against his administration’s war on drugs and alleged extrajudicial killings on that day.

“This early, I am announcing that I am ordering a holiday para walang masaktan, walang ano kung may demonstration diyan, magkagulo,” Duterte said in an interview on state-run PTV4 Thursday night.

Incidentally, September 21 also marks the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by former President Ferdinand Marcos.

“Walang trabaho ang gobyerno ‘yang araw na ‘yan at ang klase suspended. At lahat ng public places dito na gusto ninyong i-occupy, kunin ninyo,” Duterte also said.

Although President Duterte did not specify the day he would declare as holiday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday that the President was apparently referring to September 21.

“During my interaction with him early this week, sinabi niya na pagka magkaroon ng massive rallies sa Metro Manila that will inconvenience the public, I will declare walang papasok sa mga [government] office,” Lorenza disclosed in a Palace briefing.

Various groups have announced plans to stage mass protests on September 21 to condemn the administration’s war on drugs, police abuses and human rights violations, and alleged design to declare martial law nationwide.

Malacañang has yet to issue the order that would declare September 21 a holiday for government workers and students as of this posting. /kga