Critics hit ‘fake promises, fake news’

MANILA, Philippines - Militant groups will greet President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address with complaints about “fake promises” even as a staunch critic, Sen. Leila de Lima, described the SONA as just another record of “fake news” and justifications of extrajudicial killings.

Police have been instructed to exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with the usual protest rallies at every SONA.

Traffic has been rerouted and classes suspended in parts of Quezon City around the Batasang Pambansa complex where the President will deliver the SONA before a joint session of Congress this afternoon.

Last Friday, De Lima told reporters before her trial on drug charges at the Quezon City court, “What will he brag about during the SONA? The killings? The lies?”

“Let me remind him that he has already gone beyond his self-imposed three to six months deadline that he promised during his campaign,” De Lima added.

She said Duterte won under a platform of ending criminality within six months, yet asked for an extension of half a year to solve crime.

A year after assuming power, crimes still exist, as the administration’s war on illegal drugs yielded more murders, De Lima said.

She also said Duterte should put his money where his mouth is, as his promises continue to remain unfulfilled.

And like fake news, De Lima said Duterte’s supporters continued to spread what she called fake achievements of the President in his second SONA.

Militant groups also slammed Duterte for his alleged fake promises.

“Despite rosy pronouncements while still campaigning and even up to his first SONA, Duterte remains to be a major letdown for those who voted for him,” said Leody de Guzman, president of Buklurang Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).

“We are even baffled with what he plans to brag as achievements in his SONA. After an entire year of threatening employers who abuse contractual workers, no finger was lifted and despite our protestations, contractual employment remains to be the dominant mode of employment in the country,” he said.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said Duterte is not addressing the most basic social concerns.

“His SONA will turn out just like his promises – all empty talk and with no significant value to the people,” said Antonio Flores, secretary general of KMP.

“No real change happened except for the rising death toll under the current government,” he added.

Manny Baclagon, national president of the Social Welfare Employees of the Philippines (SWEAP), said some 500 employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will join the protest rally of militant groups going to the Batasang Pambansa complex.

Baclagon said they will highlight the issue of contractualization during the rally.

“The DSWD now has almost 30,000 employees and more than 17,000 of these are contractual,” he pointed out.

He said this was unacceptable especially since it was a campaign promise of Duterte to end contractualization in the country.

Baclagon said only about 3,000 in DSWD are regular employees.

“Nine thousand are contractuals with benefits and 18,000 are contract of service workers with no benefits,” he said.

Sen. Sonny Angara said the Duterte administration should focus more on employment generation in the next five years.

He said the latest labor force survey showed a decline in unemployment rate from 6.1 percent or 2.62 million unemployed Filipinos in April of 2016 to 5.7 percent or 2.44 million people in the same period this year. This translates to about 180,000 Filipinos who gained employment in the past year, he said.

“We heard our President in his first SONA ordering our police force to triple its efforts to stop the drug trade. We are hoping that he makes the same command to minimize joblessness in the country,” Angara said.

Proactive

Militant groups and critics are expected to hold massive protest actions during today’s SONA and converge at Commonwealth Avenue leading to the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

Security forces have implemented measures to secure the Batasan complex and nearby areas.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde said at least 6,200 policemen would be deployed to secure the event. At least 2,000 anti-riot policemen will secure the Batasan south gate.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will deploy its Joint Task Force – National Capital Region to augment anti-riot policemen in securing the roads leading to the Batasan.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the military has not monitored any security threat in today’s SONA.

“We are not really about the presence of threat or not… we will always be proactive,” Arevalo stressed.

Officials said they are expecting at least 15,000 protesters in today’s SONA.

Albayalde said they are prepared for any eventuality, especially the rallyists expected to turn emotional over the issue of Congress’ approval of extending martial law in Mindanao until yearend.

“We expect them to be rowdy, especially with the approval of the martial law extension, so we are ready for any action,” he said.

Albayalde said they would allow the protesters to march only to their designated areas.

Noting that most protest groups have not applied for a rally permit from the Quezon City government, Albayalde said they would still allow them to hold their rally.

“We would allow them to air their grievances all they want as long as they would not violate any law,” he said.

Albayalde added they are also expecting Duterte supporters and they will be assigned to hold their rally at the north gate of the Batasan, a kilometer away from the protesters. – Paolo Romero, Non Alquitran, Rainier Allan Ronda, Mayen Jaymalin, Michael Punongbayan, Ding Cervantes