For protesters at Mendiola, Duterte, Marcos no different
Anti-Duterte protesters flock to Mendiola, Manila. PHOTO by PATHRICIA ROXAS/INQUIRER.net
Anti-Duterte protesters flock to Mendiola, Manila. PHOTO by PATHRICIA ROXAS/INQUIRER.net
More than a hundred protesters from various sectors flocked at the Mendiola Peace Arch Thursday noon, chanting “Marcos, Duterte walang pinag-iba (Marcos and Duterte are just the same).”
“Hindi sapat ang mga retorikang pangako na nagsasabi na matapos lamang ang war on drugs ay magiging maayos na ang lipunan. Walang pinagkaiba ang administrasyong Duterte sa rehimeng Marcos pareho silang pasista,” Edwin Bustillos, secretary general of Alliance of Progressive Labor, said in his speech.
(The rhetoric of promise that once the war on drugs is complete, everything in the society will be all right is not enough. The Duterte administration and the Marcos regime are just the same—they are both fascists.)
“Ang mga magsasakaka, manggagawa, mga kababaihan, kabataan, maralita, tuloy ang laban sa martial law (Our farmers, workers, women, children and poor will continue the right against martial law),” he added.
READ: Protest rallies call for end to tyranny
Representatives from the youth sector also shared their calls against martial law and the rampant killings of the youth.
“Isa ang Politeknikong Unibersida ng Pilipinad sa mga tumuligsa sa martial law noon. Ngayon nandito tayo para magkaisa para malabanan ang malawakang martial law 2.0 at ang unti unti pagpatay sa mga kabataan dahil sa war on drugs,” said Gemma of Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan.
(PUP was one of those who opposed martial law before. Now, we are here to join the fight against martial law 2.0 and the deliberate killings of youth in the war on drugs.)
Another student reiterated that the struggle of the youth is not a separate fight from that of the workers and other sectors.
“Hindi eksklusibo ang laban ng kabataan sa laban ng manggagawa kaya naman suportahan natin ang bawat isa lalo na sa panahong maraming kabataan ang pinapatay (The fight of the youth is not exclusive from the fight of workers, so we have to support each other especially during this time when many youths are being killed),” said Shara Landicho of Nagkakaisang iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan, University of the Philippines Diliman. /idl
Anti-Duterte protesters flock to Mendiola, Manila. PHOTO by PATHRICIA ROXAS/INQUIRER.net
