Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Friday expressed alarm over the “very disturbing trend of political repression against critics of the Duterte regime,” especially as the country commemorates the Edsa People Power Revolt.
Bayan referred to Senator Leila de Lima, who was arrested on Friday morning for her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
However, it pointed out that De Lima is not the first “political prisoner” under the Duterte administration.
“There are at least 15 political prisoners arrested and jailed under the current government, including activists from the legal democratic movement,” Bayan said.
The group pointed out that the “practice of filling trumped-up charges and legal shortcuts is also not an invention of the current regime since were prevalent during the regimes of Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino.”
The group said this year’s Edsa commemoration “comes amid intensifying fascist repression under the Duterte government.”
It accused the military of waging an “all-out war against the people” while human rights violations allegedly increase.
The military is now pursuing the New People’s Army after the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) collapsed.
Bayan said De Lima’s arrest is in the context of conflict among “factions of the elite.”
“Despite the people’s victory at EDSA 31 years ago, the country remains beset by serious social problems,” it said, referring to poverty and corruption.
It claimed that the changing presidents did not “change the rotten system.
“Proof that there was no change is that the Marcoses are back in power and are planning their to return to Malacañang,” it said.
Bayan said the public is “still waiting for Duterte’s promised reforms.”
“Until now, ending contractualization remains an unfulfilled promise,” it said, in addition to the failure to release political prisoners. “The promise to evict US troops, terminate EDCA, and assert national sovereignty has not materialized.”
“We must protest and demand that the Duterte government fulfill its promises to the people,” Bayan said. “We must resist intensifying state fascism.”/rga
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