Militants to rally against SONA

MILITANT groups in Cebu join their counterparts in Manila and elsewhere around the country in staging rallies in response to President Benigno Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) today.

But the weather may not be on their side as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said rains could be expected in parts of Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao (see related story).

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s staff said in a text message that she will personally attend the Sona in Congress.

Groups will stage separate rallies in Colon Street in Cebu City today and Talisay City tomorrow.

Rights group Karapatan- Central Visayas said their “people’s address” will evaluate President Aquino III’s performance in his first year of office.

They said they will raise the continued occurrence of extra-judicial killings during his tenure.

Political prisoners Alberto Acerdin and Ramon Patriarca of Danao City Jail held a four-day fasting to call attention for their release.

The transport and labor sectors will also hold protest actions to be attended by 400 workers and drivers from Metro Cebu.

In the morning, they will hold a street march from Fuente Osmeña Circle to downtown Cebu City to protest the incessant price increase of fuel and call for the approval of a wage increase.

In a statement Aaron Pedrosa, Secretary-General of Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC)-Cebu said they will raise the issue of the Aquino administration’s policy to prioritize the private sector rather than developing the country’s agricultural sector.

He said the administration lacked a definite agenda to solve the continuing violation of human rights, absence of environmental advocacy and programs to resolve poverty.

In Manila, militants said they expect to draw 8,000 protesters to march on the streets today to coincide with the President’s Sona at the Batasang Pambansa building. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya with an Inquirer report