More than 40,000 joined anti-Sona rallies — Bayan

Militants stage anti-Duterte protests along Commonwealth Avenue-Philcoa hours before the President’s third State of the Nation Address. JULIUS LEONEN / INQUIRER.net

Under the scorching heat, about 40,000 disgruntled Filipinos marched along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to call for the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte as a power grab escalated at the House of Representatives.

This was the figure that the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) released to the media on Tuesday, a day after the President’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona), following the conduct of the opposition-led “United People’s Sona” on Monday.

As the protesters were marching from the University of the Philippines Diliman to the St. Peter’s Parish church along Commonwealth Avenue, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez who was ousted as House Speaker.

Opposition groups who joined the “United People’s Sona” were Bayan, the Movement Against Tyranny, Coalition for Justice, Tindig Pilipinas, Sangguniang Laiko, Intercessors for the Philippines, #BabaeAko women activists, Laban ng Masa, and the labor group Sentro.

“While the allies of the President were bickering and divided, the people outside Congress stood defiant and united,” Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes stressed in a statement on Tuesday, July 24.

“More than 40,000 joined the unity march and program along Commonwealth Avenue to protest the Duterte regime. We thank all the organizations that contributed to this historic show of force and unity,” Reyes said.

READ: Arroyo rise to House Speaker sparks outrage

Just minutes after Arroyo took her oath as House Speaker before Ang Kabuhayan partylist Rep. Dennis Laogan, the news was broken to the thousands of protesters, who jeered her and called her a “plunderer.”

Some protesters were even heard shouting, “Mas masahol pa ang pinalit kay Alvarez!” They also slammed her for seemingly siding with Duterte despite his reported “misogynistic” remarks against women.

Alvarez was removed after a manifesto seeking his ouster was reportedly signed by a majority of lawmakers.   /muf