Militant groups storm SC gate in Manila

TRAFFIC was temporarily closed along P. Faura St. in Manila when members of various militant groups on Tuesday charged in front of the Supreme Court (SC) building following the decision of the Supreme Court upholding the implementation of martial law in Mindanao.

READ: SC upholds validity of martial law in Mindanao

Manila Police District officials said they were forced to close the road leading to the SC gate when the protesters became too aggressive.

During the rally, Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador called out the SC to junk martial law that is now being implemented in the whole region of Mindanao.

Members of the Manila anti-riot policemen try to stop the protesters from staging a rally in front of the Supreme Court gate along P. Faura Street, Manila. PHOTO BY THEODORE JASON PATRICK ORTIZ / INQUIRER.net trainee

“Dalawang bagay lang ang pwedeng gawin ng Supreme Court: makinig sa mga mamamayan at pumanig sa mamamayan, sa katarungan, o kaya naman pumanig sa militaristang nais maghasik ng kaguluhan sa ating bayan (There are only two choices for the Supreme Court: side with the people and justice or side with the militarist [government] that wants to sow confusion in the country),” Salvador said in her speech.

“Kailangan po tignan ang ugat ng kaguluhan sa Mindanao, kung bakit lumalaban ang mamamayan sa gobyerno (There is a need to look into the violence in Mindanao, on why the people are fighting against the government),” she added.

Salvador said the root of the problem in Mindanao is poverty.

“Hangat di po nalulutas ang tunay na problema, yan po ang lumalaking kahirapan, yan po ang dahilan kung bakit maraming Pilipino sa Mindanao ang patuloy na lumalaban (As long as problem is not resolved, which is the rising cases of poverty, this will be the reason why many Filipinos in Mindanao still holding uprising in Mindanao),” she said.

Migrante Youth, League of Filipino Students, Anakbayan, and Bayan were some of the activist groups that joined the anti-martial law rally.

In May 23, Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao after extremist group Maute took control of Marawi City. Theodore Jason Patrick Ortiz, INQUIRER.net trainee / JPV