PROTEST SCENES Concerned citizens (left photo) who are outraged by Friday’s burial of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani continue their protest on Sunday at the Edsa
People Power Monument. In Legazpi City,millennials (right photo) take to the streets to condemn the surprise interment. —GRIG C.MONTEGRANDE, GEORGE GIO BRONDIAL
The Makabayan bloc on Wednesday said the scheduled November 25 rally against the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos would not be a demonstration of support for President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a press conference at the House of Representatives, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio scored the “yellow” forces of singer and Black and White Movement convenor Leah Navarro for sowing “intrigue” that the Makabayan-led Nov. 25 rally would be pro-Duterte.
“Yung pag-i-intriga ng kampong dilaw, yung Nov. 25 huwag daw puntahan dahil pro-Duterte daw. Hindi ba malinaw ang statement na we denounce the burial, and we hold President Duterte accountable for his call for making that burial possible?” Tinio said.
(The yellow camp is spreading intrigue that the public should not join the Nov. 25 protest because it would be pro-Duterte. Is it not clear in our statement that we denounce the burial, and we hold President Duterte accountable for his call for making that burial possible?)
READ: Pinoys urged to join ‘Black Friday’ protest vs Marcos burial
The Makabayan in a statement denounced Duterte for allowing Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in the first place, later given the green light by the Supreme Court.
“We hold Pres. Duterte accountable for his role in granting honors to the worst plunderer and human rights violator in the nation’s history. We demand that he take steps to correct this grave error and reverse this unconscionable attack on truth and justice, on the victims of martial rule, and the Filipino people,” Makabayan said.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the protest would be critical of the system, not only the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III for its failure to hold the Marcoses accountable.
“Itong pagkilos hindi lang ito pagsisisi kay Aquino, kundi pagsisisi sa sistema na nagluwal kay Marcos at nagsimula ng rehabilitation niya after he was ousted,” Zarate said.
(This protest action would not put the blame on Aquino alone, but on the system that created Marcos and started his rehabilitation since he was ousted.)
The Makabayan bloc also challenged Duterte to break away from his alliance with former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., whom Duterte even endorsed as the country’s next vice president should he win his electoral protest against Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
READ: Duterte: Bongbong Marcos could be our new VP
Duterte had also supported the burial of Bongbong’s father and namesake at the Libingan ng mga Bayani as a former soldier and president.
“We challenge Pres. Duterte to end his alliance with the Marcos family; repudiate the Marcosian tactics of extrajudicial killings; desist from issuing threats of suspending the writ of habeas corpus, imposing martial law, and other fascist measures in the name of peace and order and his war against illegal drugs,” Makabayan said.
READ: Duterte firm on Marcos burial: ‘The law is the law’
Zarate called on Duterte to reverse his Marcosian tactics of hinting to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus amid the administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“Itong usapin na paglibing sa diktador ni Marcos, kahit sabihin nating campaign promise ni Duterte, nagpahayag naman ang maraming mammaayan ng pagtutol dito dahil sa pagrehabiltitate sa diktador,” Zarate said.
(This talk to bury the dictator Marcos, even when this is a campaign promise of President Duterte, the public has expressed its rejection in rehabilitating the image of the dictator.)
READ: Duterte warns of suspension of habeas corpus writ
“Tuloy tuloy tayong mananawagan kay Pangulong Duterte na i-reverse ang mga taktikang ala-Marcos, taktikang martial law,” he added.
(We will continue to call on President Duterte to reverse his Marcosian, tactics, his martial law tactics.)
READ: Militant solon backs ‘principled alliance’ with Duterte
Tinio called on the President to end his alliance with Bongbong Marcos and prevent the return of the Marcoses to power.
“Nababahala tayo na tila lumalapot pa ang tawag namin na Duterte-Marcos alliance. Ayaw natin makapanumbalik ng ganap sa poder ang mga Marcoses nang di sila napapanagot,” Tinio said.
(We are worried over the solidifying Duterte-Marcos alliance. We don’t want the Marcoses to return to power while they were not yet held accountable.)
The Makabayan, however, said it would not break away from its alliance with Duterte, but vows to be more critical of the President, despite its support for the his pro-people policies such as an independent foreign policy.
READ: Makabayan solons won’t break away from Duterte over Marcos burial
“Kasalukuyang binabase ng tao, ng Makabayan, sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon. Hinid naman lingid na sinusuportahan ng Makabayan ang mga pro-people pronouncements na tinutungo ng Duterte administration.. Sa ngayon magiging more critical ang aming pagtindig,” Zarate said.
(The Makabayan bloc and the people are currently studying the current situation. It is well-known that the Makabayan bloc is supportive of the pro-people pronouncement being paved by the Duterte administration. For now, we will be more critical in our stand.)
Calls on militant members to break away from the alliance with the administration started when former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said the Left would rethink its alliance with Duterte after the administration allowed Marcos to be buried at the hero’s cemetery even though the Supreme Court decision allowing it was not yet final and executory.
READ: Leftists rethink alliance with Duterte over Marcos burial
“If the influence of the Marcoses is too big on the President that it affects his pro-people commitment, then we will have to consider our tactical alliance,” Ocampo earlier said.
“If the President is clearly trying to revive the concept of ‘bagong lipunan,’ it might spell a separation,” he added.
READ: Leftists Taguiwalo, Maza won’t resign from Cabinet
To align with the Left, Duterte appointed members of militant groups to his Cabinet—Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, and Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chairperson Terry Ridon.
Both Taguiwalo and Maza have said they do not need to resign from the Cabinet despite their position against Marcos’ burial.
Taguiwalo, who was imprisoned and tortured during the brutal two-decade regime, said Duterte knew of her position on Marcos even before he appointed her to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Left also aligned with the administration since the government resumed peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front, even while Duterte also supported the request of the Marcos family to give a hero’s burial to the dictator. RAM
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