Protesters burn ‘Puppwet’ effigy

Bonifacio Day rally. PHOTOby Gabriel Pabico Lalu/INQUIRER.net

Protesters from militant groups burned an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte during a demonstration on Friday, Bonifacio Day.

The effigy, which protesters brought with them from Mendiola to T.M. Kalaw Avenue in Manila, featured a caricature of Duterte with United States President Donald Trump on one side of the Philippine leader’s head, and Chinese President Xi Jing Ping on the other side.

It was called “Puppwet,”  a portmanteau of allegations that Duterte is acting like a puppet of China and the Filipino word for buttocks.

Demonstrators were calling on Duterte to uphold the sovereignty of the country, amid an ongoing sea row against the Chinese government.

The current administration has opted to repair ties with the Asian superpower to avoid a full-scale conflict. /ee