Rallyists: 'Unlike them, we’re united'

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition leaders, militant and cause-oriented groups joined forces yesterday in protest against the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

As House leaders scuffled for the top seat, some 40,000 protesters came together in what was described by the militants as the largest anti-SONA rally ever staged.

“They are quarrelling, while we stand united,” human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares said, referring to the commotion at the House when congressmen ousted Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and voted former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new Speaker.

Ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who joined the rally, reiterated Colmenares’ statement, saying it’s not surprising that House leaders are quarreling over the speakership.

Sereno said that personal interests might have led to the leadership row.

She criticized the administration’s plan to shift to federalism, saying this will lead to dictatorship.

Death of democracy

Effigies of a rifle-wielding Duterte and a train loaded with garbage in an apparent swipe at the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law were paraded along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City by the militant groups.

Body bags symbolizing the death of democracy and culture of extrajudicial killings were laid down along the road by members of cause-oriented group Tindig Pilipinas, which joined the protest. 

“These represent the things killed under this administration. And the biggest one is the assault on democracy,” said Teresita Deles, former peace process adviser under the previous Aquino administration.

Former social welfare secretary Dinky Soliman of Tindig Pilipinas said the political opposition groups are united by their common stance against the administration’s move to amend the Constitution and extend the term of elected officials as well as the war on drugs.

“We are all together because the Duterte administration is intensifying its moves to ensure that they stay in power,” Soliman said.

Former Bayan Muna congressman Teddy Casiño said that yesterday’s protests against the SONA was the largest in terms of number and broadest in representation, despite political differences.

“We have speakers from left to right. You could say that we should set aside our differences to unite against Duterte’s move for Charter change and dictatorship,” Casiño said.

“There are differences, but there comes a time we need to unite for a higher cause. This is a start,” he added.

Generally peaceful

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, said the rallies staged by both the opposition and pro-Duterte groups were generally peaceful.

He said no untoward incident occurred as the groups kept their promise not to resort to violence when expressing their message to the government.

He said he would allow both the anti- and pro- Duterte groups to leave after the President finished Police estimated the anti-SONA crowd at 12,000 and the pro-Duterte supporters at 10,000.

Representatives from the Commission on Human Rights joined the Philippine National Police (PNP) in monitoring the protest actions.PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said a sufficient number of Civil Disturbance Management troops were deployed in strategic areas around the Batasan Complex as part of security measures. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mayen Jaymalin, Rhodina Villanueva, Non Alquitran, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Gerry Lee-Gorit