Cebu demonstrators express two opposing views on Bonifacio Day

CEBU CITY—It was a tale of two rallies in Cebu City during the 154th birth anniversary of great revolutionary proletarian leader Andres Bonifacio on Thursday.

One was against the government while the other was to show support for President Rodrigo Duterte.

At least 200 members of different cause-oriented groups walked from Fuente Osmeña to Colon Street around 1 p.m. to air their grievances against the government.

About a kilometer away, about 500 supporters of Duterte gathered at Plaza Independencia to express support for the administration’s programs.

Ariel Laguna, president of Guardian Global Society Incorporated (GGSI), said he supports the President’s plan to shift to a federal form of government.

“A federal form of government is better because there is equal distribution of benefits and wealth. In our present set up, Manila gets the better part,” he said.

Gregory Perez, coordinator of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston)-Cebu who joined the anti-Duterte rally, reiterated their dismay over the government’s plan to phase out jeepney units that were at least 15 years old.

“We, in Piston, will continue to oppose that because many will be affected,” he said in Cebuano.

“We do this rally on Bonifacio Day so that people will know that we are fighting for freedom like Andres Bonfacio,’” he added.

Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of Bayan Central Visayas, denounced Duterte’s threat to declare the New People’s Army along its front organizations as terrorists.

He said President just wanted to condition the public towards a revolutionary government.

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Paglinawan also called on the government to arrest and prosecute the persons who killed human rights group members Elisa Badayos and Elioterio Moises.

Badayos, the coordinator of Karapatan in Negros Oriental; and Moises, a member of Mantapi Ebwan Farmers Association in Bayawan City, were gunned down by two men in Barangay Nangka in Bayawan City last November 28.

“We challenge the government, especially the police, to give justice to the families of Badayos and Moises,” he said. /jpv