'DIVINE JUDGMENT.' Evangelist and 2004 presidential candidate Brother Eddie Villanueva tells President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not to wait for the "divine judgment of God" in a speech at the inter-faith rally on Friday. Video taken by INQUIRER.net editorial assistant Cathy Miranda in Makati City, Philippines.
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 11) Multi-sectoral groups converged at an interfaith rally in Makati City Friday to seek the truth and demand the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over allegations of corruption.
Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., the key witness in the Senate inquiry into the national broadband network (NBN) scandal, speaking in Filipino, urged rallyists to seek truth and justice not out of “anger and loathing” but of “love for the victims of corruption.”
The only speaker not given a time limit to address the crowd, Lozada called the rally the “historic…start of the march of the Filipino nation for truth and justice” and urged people to stay the course.
"Ang pagkilos na ito ay hindi dapat pagkilos na dala nang galit at pagkamuhi...dahil kapag naalis na ang kinamumuhian, titigil lahat” [“This movement should not be spurred by anger or loathing, because once the object of loathing is gone, everyone stops again"], said Lozada..
He said the quest for truth and justice should instead be "dala ng pagmamahal para sa kapwa na nabibiktima ng korupsyon” [“spurred by love for our fellowmen who are victims of corruption"].
Lozada lauded the rally participants, saying their attendance “only means one thing, you have given more value to the rights of the victims of corruption.”
Recounting how government “continue to oppress” and discredit him for testifying on what he claims to be overpricing and kickbacks accompanying the NBN deal with China’s ZTE Corp., Lozada asked the crowd: “Should I be afraid of them?”
To which the rallyists replied with a resounding, “Hindi!” [“No!”]
He also sent greetings to protesters who were prevented from joining the rally by police blockades at the North and South Luzon Expressways and other entry points to Metro Manila.
Lozada asked the rallyists if they believe Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel, are directly involved in the NBN deal, the crowd shouted, "Oo!” [“Yes!]”
Former president Joseph Estrada told rallyists in Filipino that while he was an “under-staying president,” Arroyo was “overstaying,” eliciting laughter from the crowd.
Estrada, who was ousted in a popular revolt in 2001 -- three years short of the mandated six-year term as president -- also thanked the people for standing up for truth and urged them not to get tired of doing so.
Estrada was charged and found guilty of plunder after a five-year trial but was released a month after his conviction.
Arroyo legitimized her hold on the presidency following a victory in the 2004 elections, which her opponents claimed was marred by fraud.
Former president Corazon Aquino also appeared at the rally, appealing for truth.
Evangelical leader Brother Eddie Villanueva started the program with a speech that warned Arroyo not to wait for “the divine judgment of God” and sought “communal action that would set the Filipino free.”
Archbishop Oscar Cruz was brief, simply saying, “GMA [Arroyo] resign.”
United Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano urged unity accusing Arroyo of “dividing us and making us fight each other -- Muslim against Christian, EDSA I against EDSA III. When we are united, we can face guns and tanks and we can fight dictatorship.” EDSA III was the tag given to a failed attempt by Estrada supporters to storm Malacañang on May 1, 2001.
Estrada, Lozada, and student groups were among the first wave of protesters to reach the Ninoy Aquino monument at the corner ofPaseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue in the Makati business district.
Lozada is the star witness in the national broadband network scandal who claimed that Arroyo’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, and her political and business allies were behind the overpricing of the project that eventually went to ZTE Corp.
As of posting time, police estimated that there were some 15,000 marchers coming from different points in the city, although rally organizers placed their own count at up to 80,000.
They had aimed to gather at least 100,000 protesters to converge at the Ninoy Aquino monument, organizers said, as police and military go on full and red alert levels respectively.
Estrada, in a blue checkered polo and red jacket, marched from the Makati Central Fire Station, with members of People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) and the Union of the Masses for Justice and Democracy.
Estrada said he chose red because he idolized Andres Bonifacio, one of the country’s national heroes.
Upon arriving near the Ninoy Aquino monument, Estrada led the singing of the National Anthem as confetti fell from the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. building.
Estrada also said he did not mind being several meters away from former Aquino, who was expected to be at the rally.
"I'll be very glad because President Cory was the one who was responsible for returning democracy," said Estrada.
With Estrada were his wife, former senator Luisa “Loi” Ejercito; daughter Jackie Lopez; Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, and former senator Ernesto Maceda.
The secretary general of the leftist political group Bayan, Renato Reyes, said the rally should send a strong message to Arroyo that the Filipino people "demand truth, justice and a change in leadership."
"This will be the strongest rejection yet of Mrs. Arroyo," he said in a statement.
Arroyo's former Cabinet members and conveners of the Black and White Movement, the Makati Business Club, several Catholic bishops, Bayan Muna, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas were among the groups seen at the rally.
Students and faculty members of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, the Philippine Normal University, La Consolacion College, Adamson University, Colegio San Agustin in Makati, De La Salle schools from Dasmariñas town in Cavite province and Lipa City in Batangas, College of St. Benilde, La Concordia College, Sta. Isabel College, and Pasig Catholic College also attended.
Meanwhile, wives of the 28 accused marines and rangers from the 2006 Marine standoff , joined the protest, said Pong Querubin, wife of Brigadier General Ariel Querubin.
Recent street protests against Arroyo have had disappointing results, drawing only from 5,000 to 10,000 people and not the tens of thousands the organizers had hoped.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon said he had ordered police not to prevent any groups from joining the rally.
The PNP went on full alert a day earlier in preparation for the protests, activating Task Force Manila Shield and deploying some 5,000 policemen.
It also denied reports that local terror groups were planning to attack, as what had been claimed by the Armed Forces.
Razon said they were verifying these reports.
Meanwhile, thousands of troops were in a state of readiness in barracks around the capital in case they were needed to back up the police.
"The armed forces of the Philippines remain on red alert," said military chief General Hermogenes Esperon.
Although billed as an interfaith rally not all religious groups will be attending.
The influential Roman Catholic charismatic group "El Shaddai" has said it would not be taking part, calling on its followers to examine the issues before making their own judgments."
The influential Catholic Church bishops earlier this week issued a statement stopping short of calling on Arroyo's resignation but urged her to "clean up corruption" in her administration.
With reports Dennis Maliwanag, Erwin Oliva, Jesse Delima, Abi Kwok, INQUIRER.net; Agence France-Presse
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