Gloria worse than Marcos – Reds

Left-leaning groups boycotted yesterday’s 17th anniversary celebration of EDSA I as communist rebels called on the people to overthrow President Arroyo whom they described as "becoming worse" than the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted in a military-backed uprising on Feb. 25, 1986.

The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) accused Mrs. Arroyo of ordering police to barricade the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City to prevent the people from holding a rally on the "very spot" where the Marcos regime was defeated.

On the other hand, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said the Arroyo administration has become more reprehensible as an "out-and-out American puppet," which has completely disregarded the interests of the people.

Teddy Casiño, Bayan secretary general, said people do not need to rally on the streets to point out their frustrations over the Arroyo administration and other post-Marcos governments.

"We are still in the same sinking ship, no thanks to continued dominance of the US, the military and privileged elite," he said.

"It’s only these people who are celebrating because they’re the only ones happy 17 years after the uprising."

Casiño said Mrs. Arroyo has continued "the unpatriotic tradition of the US-backed Marcos dictatorship" when she allowed American troops to engage in combat against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

"George Bush Sr. then praised Marcos for his alleged adherence to democratic principles," he said.

"Now George Bush Jr. praises (Mrs.) Arroyo for her blind support to the borderless war on terror especially her okay for US combat operations and the use of the Philippines as transit point for US troops intended for the war on Iraq.

"In the same way that Marcos tried to pulverize the Muslims and the communists, (Mrs.) Arroyo has implemented a policy of all-out war and no-peace talks on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the National Democratic Front."

In a statement, CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said Mrs. Arroyo has become "nothing else but the Girl Friday" of US President George W. Bush.

"She will do everything for the fancy of her boss," read the statement.

"Practically the whole world is opposed to the US war. But the puppet regime of Macapagal-Arroyo is one of a handful of US allies and puppets that singularly and blindly supports US aggression in Iraq, no matter what." – Bong Fabe