Protesters converge in Davao City for People Power anniversary

DAVAO CITY — The number was not as big as in other areas during the commemoration of the Edsa People Power Revolt here.

Only about 500 people showed up on Saturday at a rally here to denounce the alleged “resurgent tyranny and dictatorship” of President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration’s supposed disrespect for human rights.

The rally was organized by Mindanaoans for Civil Liberties as part of the 7th Mindanao Human Rights Summit held here.

“It is a challenge to organizers that numbers are not as high as we want [them to be] and thus the need to work harder to popularize the issue to reach more people,” said Mags Maglana of Konsensya Dabaw.

Maglana agreed that the “message and numbers are important” so that authorities would be served notice that there was enough concern over an issue or problem for people to mobilize for or against it.

“Of course, it is the message,” said Jerome Aba of Suara Bangsamoro, who earlier noted that the number of activists killed under the Duterte administration had reached 123 since 2016.

Suara Bangsamoro will continue to oppose the administration’s dictatorial tendencies and to stand up for the poor and the “lumad,” Aba said. —Allan Nawal