Anti-SONA: Protesters slam ‘lies and failures’

MANILA, Philippines - Thousands of demonstrators yesterday took to the streets to protest the “lies and failures” of the Aquino administration in addressing corruption and poverty as he delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Congress.

Around 6,000 protesters converged along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, but layers of human and man-made barricades – consisting of four rows of concrete barriers with barbed wire and a row of shipping containers set up by police – prevented demonstrators from getting near the House of Representatives.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said around 10,000 policemen were deployed to guard the demonstration.

Thirty minutes into the President’s SONA, the protesters became unruly, a move that prompted policemen to position themselves.

Authorities started using water cannons against the protesters when they tried to break through police barriers along Commonwealth Avenue in front of Ever Gotesco Mall.

The use of water cannons lasted for several minutes, with the protesters cheering after the police stopped the barrage.

The use of water cannons prompted the protesters to withdraw and disperse peacefully at about 5:30 p.m.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary-general Renato Reyes condemned the use of water cannons and said that “the action of the protesters was to show the defiance on the security deployment of the President.”

But Metro Manila police head Director Carmelo Valmoria justified the use of water canon, saying that the protesters had become unruly and were destroying government property.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac also justified the deployment of 10,000 policemen in the vicinity of Batasan complex.

Sindac said that while the police force respects the right of militant groups to hold street protests, authorities have the responsibility to maintain order during the SONA.

He also said that the PNP, through the QCPD, tried to have a dialogue with protesters but they snubbed the effort. And in the absence of a dialogue, police implemented security measures to ensure order during the SONA.

Different forms of protest staged

In other parts of the country, groups also staged different forms of protest against Aquino.

In Mendiola, pro-poor group Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasiya spent around P10,000 for a short demonstration rally, with the fund donated by workers suffering from contractual jobs.

Bayan Muna, meanwhile, called for the ouster of Aquino for using the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which the Supreme Court declared as partly unconstitutional.

“Aquino is guilty of the DAP scam, which is the biggest corruption scam. DAP amounts to P237.5 billion, 10 times the value of the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam and 800 times the value of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes scam,” said Anakbayan national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo.

“Aquino’s lies and repression fall short to hide the systemic corruption that is happening under his administration. The Filipino people hold the ‘Thief Executive’ responsible for the aggravation of the systemic problems of our country,” he added.

Protesters also burned effigies depicting Aquino as a thief.

The group National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates, meanwhile, erected a photo booth to inform the public on their stand about Aquino’s continuing defense of the DAP. The pictures taken from the booth were uploaded on Instagram and other social media sites.

“It is clear for the Filipino people that DAP was not used for development since they simply could not feel it. So-called development are felt only by the plunderers,” said Lei Mora, the group’s chairperson.

Tensions, however, rose when policemen stopped more than 300 protesters aboard several jeepneys near the boundary of Caloocan City and Valenzuela City.

The protesters, from the groups Gabriela, Akbayan, Anakpawis and Bayan, were on their way to Bagumbong in North Caloocan when they were flagged down by policemen shortly before 11 a.m. yesterday for allegedly using out-of-line jeepneys.

The group said the jeepneys were hired by Gabriela to transport protesters in Caloocan to Quezon City. After negotiations, the police issued traffic violation tickets to seven drivers while other vehicles were allowed to proceed.

Protests also erupted in various provinces.

In Davao City, protesters led by Bayan Muna converged at various points in the city and marched to Rizal Park where they held their own SONA, which they said was aimed at exposing the “real state of the nation” under the Aquino administration.

In Cagayan de Oro City, militant groups led by Akbayan and Anakpawis marched from the Press Freedom Monument at Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol grounds to Magsaysay Park.

Similar rallies were also held in neighboring Malaybalay City and Iligan City.

Despite the different protests staged yesterday, the PNP said that the SONA day was “generally peaceful.”

The police force in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon and the Special Action Force were on full alert since Saturday morning in preparation for the SONA.

The Bureau of Immigration, meanwhile, warned foreigners that they would face deportation should they join the street protests. –With Janvic Mateo, Non Alquitran, Edith Regalado, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rey Galupo, Aie Balagtas-See, Gerry Lee Gorit, Evelyn Macairan