Activists chant Duterte off rally stage

MANILA, Philippines — Activists on Monday evening rebuffed President Rodrigo Duterte, who stepped outside the Batasang Pambansa to speak before the so-called People's State of the Nation Address.

"Kung may gusto kayong sabihin sa akin, sabihin niyo sa akin sa Malacañang. Pinapapasok ko kayo," the president told the crowd composed of members and supporters of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. He mentioned that he even met with Bayan members before the SONA.

The president, reiterating points from his official State of the Nation Address delivered earlier Monday, appealed for the Bayan bloc to "keep the open line" and be patient with reforms in government.

He said that if the activists do not want to believe him, they can ask their representatives in government.

"Nandiyan sina Left. Nandiyan si (National Anti-Poverty Commission Lead Convenor Liza) Maza, nandiyan si (Social Welfare Secretary Judy) Taguiwalo, nandiyan si (Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael) Mariano, nandiyan si (Education Secretary Leonor) Briones. Puro Left yan. Tanungin muna ninyo kung aning ginagawa ko," he told the crowd, which launched into chanting.

Maza, Taguiwalo and Mariano are nominees of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. Former Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon is also in government as hea dof the Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor.

Briones is from a different activist bloc.

"Si Bello, numero unong left 'yan," he said, referring to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is chief peace negotiator with the communists. This was met with more chanting from the activists, who denied that Bello was one of them.

The president retorted that the activists present were too young to know about Bello, who also negotiated for peace with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front in the 1990s.

"Bigyan ninyo ako ng panahon. Five years lang naman ang naiwan ko. I will deliver," the president said.

He said that he was irked that the Left, affiliation with which does not equate to membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines or the New People's Army, seems to want him dead.

"Pati ako gusto niyo patayin," he said, referring to an encounter between the NPA and members of the Presidential Security Group in Arakan, Cotabato province on July 19. Perhaps in his anger, the president said that he was angry because he met with Bayan representatives and then the ambush happened.

The meeting was actually in the evening of July 19 while the encounter happened during the day.

"May representante kayo. Nandiyan na kayo. In-appoint ko na, nandiyan na kayo sa loob. Ano pa ba ang gusto ninyo?" he said.

This was met with more chanting.

"Ituloy ang peace talks, 'yan ang gusto niyo? Pinu-frustrate niyo ako. Ano ang gusto niyo? Paano kayo mag-peace talks kung patay na ako?" Duterte, who has in the past identified himself as a leftist, said.

A protester clenches his fist as he marches with thousands of other protester to demand that President Rodrigo Duterte delivers on a wide range of promises he made in his first state of the nation address last year, from pressing peace talks with Marxist guerrillas, which is currently on hold, to upholding human rights and the rule of law Monday, July 24, 2017 in Quezon City. The sign reads: "Duterte should be accountable." AP/Bullit Marquez

The reception was markedly different from the president's SONA in 2016, when Bayan leaders were allowed a dialogue with him after the speech. Although activist groups are not yet openly hostile to Duterte, Bayan-affiliated groups have begun to criticize the president more.

Earlier on Monday, Bayan-affiliated Karapatan said Duterte was "fast becoming a disappointment" because of extrajudicial killings and the collapse of peace talks, which were scheduled for August but have been called off.

"Ayaw ninyo rumespeto? Bahala kayo. Sige, sigaw kayo hanggang maubos ninyo ang boses ninyo, pero wag kayong mang-gago sa akin," the president said before walking off stage. — Jonathan de Santos