Bayan: ‘Yolanda’ protests are ‘voices of discontent,’ not aided by Romualdezes

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines―Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. slammed the statement issued by Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson on Monday saying that the anti-government protests staged in Tacloban City were supported by Romualdezes.

Reyes said that by failing to accept criticisms, Lacson has relegated the protests as “mere extension of local politics.”

“Lacson tries to portray the protests as merely part of local politics centered in Tacloban. What he fails to comprehend is that the protesters came from all over the region: from Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Northern Samar and Leyte. The thousands who marched were not just from Tacloban. They were the voices of discontent. The problem with Lacson as with Aquino, they do not want to hear any form of criticism. That is why they try to reduce the protests as an extension of local politics. There will be more marches, that much we can expect,” Reyes said in a text message sent to INQUIRER.net.

Lacson said in a multi-sectoral forum Monday that Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez is “hijacking rehabilitation efforts” by allegedly supporting anti-government protests.

The rehabilitation czar said that a truck allegedly belonging to the Romualdez family has been picking up protesters “as far as Samar.”

He also blamed Romualdez for the “below-par” rehabilitation of Tacloban City.

Last Saturday, People Surge, an alliance of Yolanda survivors, claimed that it has mobilized more than 30,000 people globally to slam the “criminal negligence” of the Aquino administration in a protest action commemorating the first anniversary of Yolanda’s onslaught in the Visayas region.
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