Militant groups at Luneta march also booed

MANILA, Philippines - Several participants at the netizen-organized "Million People March" against the pork barrel said they were uncomfortable at the presence of  militant groups that went to Luneta Park on Monday.

"Bakit sila nandyan? 'Di sila kasama d'yan, mga komunista ginagamit ang demokrasya para sa kanilang ideolohiya!" Marguille Camasura from Bacolod said, referring to left-leaning organizations that arrived at the march.

"Akala ko ba walang leftist at politiko? It's supposed to be the march of the people darn it!" student Alexa Avillano said.

"Boo sa sumasawsaw na militante!" news enthusiast Jason Manglapus exclaimed.

Anak pawis: present! KMU: pesent! Mga panira! #MillionPeopleMarch

— luis (@Luis_lines) August 26, 2013

"Di ba dapat mga ordinaryong mamamayan? Bakit bumabangka pa rin ang ibang leftist at pulitiko?" Ferdinand Dagda Jr. also commented.

Similar sentiments such as those of Cocoy Dayban also flooded social media on Monday.

"The Filipino people don't need militant groups to start a protest. Nakakagulo lang sila. They are aggressive protesters who want to spark violence," Dayban said.

Others also hesitated from joining Monday's gathering against pork due to inevitable involvement of the militant groups.

"I join the call for the scrapping of the pork barrel but not the participation of the miitant groups kaya dito na lang ako sa bahay," ej1015 said, commenting on a Philstar.com story.

I am praying that militant groups, the left, and politicians won't take advantage of the #MillionPeopleMarch for their own agenda.

— Jason Roams (@JasonRoams) August 25, 2013

I don't agree on #MillionPeopleMarch coz whenever militant group does street protest, its  (sic)always #messy and end up chaotic and has trouble..

— Fatima Mapesos (@ladydakki) August 25, 2013

Some, however, attributed the success of the protest to the groups that brought effigies of President Benigno Aquino III with pigs' ears and a snout.

"Kudos to the organizer of #MillionPeopleMarch. KMU, Anak bayan etc. Ganyan po ang rally. Walang halong politika at may disiplina," Twitter user @_heyjhay said.

Tens of thousands joined the demonstration, which some prided to have no visible organizing body and driven by "angry taxpayers," urging government to abolish the funding system.

Reluctant host Peachy Bretaña who first spread the poster on the march online, meanwhile, said that she did not expect the widespread response on the call to action.

"Tamang-tama naman na padating ang Araw ng mga Bayani ngayong Monday, so sabi ko it is the most practical time ... Bayani tayong lahat bilang taxpayers," Bretaña, who says she is unaffiliated with nay group, said in a television interview.

Ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona was also booed by protesters after he appeared with his wife at the Londay.