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Groups to push through with SONA protest despite IATF rally ban
By ANNA FELICIA BAJO,GMA NewsThe government's order against protests during President Rodrigo Duterte's 5th State of the Nation Address will not stop progressive groups from demonstrating.
On Friday, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas stressed that no amount of threats or warnings from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) can stop or hamper the broad people's actions on Monday for Duterte's SONA.
"We are left with no choice but to defy the DILG Memorandum on holding protests in time for Duterte's SONA. We will proceed as planned with the protests along Commonwealth Ave. DILG and the IATF-EID can be assured, however, that we will observe necessary health protocols and physical distancing during the protests," KMP chairman Danilo Ramos said in a press statement.
Ramos said the public has all the reasons to protest and show outrage with the aggravation of mass unemployment, poverty and hunger, and the crimes of the Duterte administration.
"Ang SONA ay araw ng paniningil. The country and majority of the population are enduring deep poverty and hardship. Duterte, for his part, managed to rechannel billions of public funds to his cronies and bankrupted the domestic economy and government," Ramos said.
"The past months under a militarist COVID-19 lockdown brought out the worst in the Duterte government -- it shut down ABS-CBN media network and rendered jobless more than 11,000 employees and hastily enacted a new terror law in the midst of a global pandemic. COVID-19 cases are quickly rising to reach the 80,000-mark, further overwhelming hospitals, and fatigued health workers. Duterte must be made accountable for the country's chaotic situation," he added.
For KMP, Duterte's SONA would just be a "glamorized" version of his late-night recorded speeches "where he often spews gibberish and invectives."
Earlier, National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Major General Debold Sinas announced that there could be changes with the policy on mass actions
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DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said, "It was the IATF that issued the policy under Resolution No. 57 that all forms of mass gatherings are prohibited under community quarantine and that includes rallies and demonstrations."
Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes said the DILG's advisory to local government units is meant to scare the public to not voice their sentiments against the government.
Reyes branded the move as desperate.
"Napaka-desperado ng last minute memo na nilabas nila. Paalala. Ang IATF guidelines ay hindi batas. Hindi ito mas mataas sa konstitusyon at hindi dapat gamitin para labagin ang saligang karapatan ng mamamayan," Reyes said.
"Kung ang Mananita nga noong June 12 ay hindi nila napigilan, ang #SONAgKAISA pa kaya? At tulad noon, lahat ng dapat na health protocols ay ating ipapatupad - face masks, physical distancing, disinfectants, at pinaikling programa," he added.
Human rights group Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay also slammed the directive of government officials on the ban of rallies.
"Hanep din talaga sa kapal ng mukha ng administrasyong ito - bawal magrally sabi ng memo ni Gen. Eduardo Año at si Debold Sinas (si Mr. Manyanita) pa talaga ang nag-announce!" Palabay said in a Facebook post.
"Alam niyo guys, sa totoo lang, hindi naman magrarally ang mga tao kung wala kayong ginagawang mga kalokohan, na mga kahindik-hindik at karali-rali," she added.
Palabay said this actually violates the basic right to peaceful assembly and free expression. — DVM, GMA News