Protesters kick off EDSA rallies vs. Cha-cha, drug killings

Protesters from various groups on Saturday gathered at two historic sites on EDSA to denounce moves to change the Charter and condemn the Duterte administration's drug war, a day before the 32nd anniversary of the peaceful People Revolution that toppled the Marcos regime.

At the People Power Monument, protesters against the proposed Charter change (Cha-cha) have already started to gather ahead of the scheduled rally on Saturday afternoon.

Banners could be seen already hanging on the tents set up in the area, while others groups started marching towards nerby EDSA Shrine, where a separate rally is to be be held.

Anti-Cha-cha groups start to march from People Power Monument to EDSA Shrine, where they will stage a rally with other protesters pic.twitter.com/wGXtTlgTrT

— Jessica Bartolome (@jacbartolome) February 24, 2018

The Dasal at Ayuno (Prayer and Fasting) Laban sa Cha-Cha Para sa Demokrasya, one of the groups participating in the demonstrations, said it has already faced eviction threats.

The protesters, however, maintained that they will hold their ground.

Drug war

Women organizations led by Gabriela  Alliance of Women also joined the protests.

Gabriela members marched with the Voices of Women for Justice and Peace on EDSA with fresh calls on the Duterte regime to halt its bloody counterinsurgency war and war on drugs that are already producing record numbers of extrajudicial killings

Waves of protesters arrive at People Power Monument pic.twitter.com/YvBHEvxm3K

— Jessica Bartolome (@jacbartolome) February 24, 2018

“On the 32nd anniversary of the EDSA People Power uprising that toppled the US-backed Marcos dictatorship, women rise, resist and unite against unapologetic Marcos worshipper, President Rodrigo Duterte, who wants to bring back rapes, brutal killings, mass arrests, and military tribunals of the hated dictatorship we overthrew in 1986,” said GABRIELA secretary general Joms Salvador in a statement.

“We say never again to one-man rule, plunder, and absolute subjugation of the nation by imperialist masters," she added.

Full alert status

In anticipation of the rallies, not only on the two EDSA sites but nationwide, the Philippine National Police (PNP) was placed on full alert status on Friday afternoon, two days ahead of the People Power Revolution anniversary.

The alert status will automatically be downgraded to heightened alert status on Tuesday morning, the PNP had said in an advisory.

“The alert status of all PNP offices/units is hereby placed on FULL ALERT effective 5:00 PM, February 23, 2018 and will be automatically   downgraded to HEIGHTENED ALERT STATUS on February 27, 2018 at 8:00 AM, except in areas which are covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 216 "Declaring a State of Martial Law and Suspending the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Whole of Mindanao,” the advisory read.

Anti-Cha-Cha banners dominate rally at People Power Monument pic.twitter.com/kxUuSUTQAf

— Jessica Bartolome (@jacbartolome) February 24, 2018

Meanwhile, municipal police station commanders have been ordered to implement heightened security measures.

All personnel on the role of intelligence in the PNP Anti-Terrorism Defense Block System were also asked to coordinate with other intelligence agencies and military counterparts to monitor possible personalities who might initiate terror attacks.

A few days before the celebration of the 32nd People Power revolution, members of several organizations opposed to Cha-cha have gathered along EDSA late Thursday evening to stage a vigil.

The People Power revolution is traditionally celebrated on Feb. 25, or the 32nd year after a series of events in which thousands of people gathered along the main thoroughfare in Quezon City and ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the country. — MDM, GMA News