Thousands join anti-Estrada rally in Davao City

DAVAO CITY – Over 10,000 people trooped to the streets here yesterday to join a march rally calling for the resignation of President Estrada.

The protesters, who came from three assembly points, later converged at the Rizal Park.

Spearheaded by the Archdiocese of Davao and other church-based groups, the march rally was participated in by members of militant groups and the labor sector, students, lawyers, doctors, teachers and other groups of professionals who demanded that the President immediately step down from office.

The marchers pinned white and blue ribbons on their shirts, while others wore shirts emblazoned with the words "Erap: Resign Now!"

The protesters shouted anti-Erap slogans and sang to tunes whose lyrics enumerated the scandals hounding the Estrada administration.

Meanwhile, former President Corazon Aquino and former Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. are expected to attend the "Kongreso sa Kamindanawan: Erap Resign" assembly at the Ateneo de Davao University High School campus today.

The congress will assemble church groups, civic organizations, the public sector and political parties "to bring the Mindanao voice and perspective to the political crisis engulfing our society," said Irene Santiago, chairperson of the steering committee of Kongreso sa Kamin-danawan.

Congress organizers hope to draw up a coordinated plan for a Mindanao-wide protest action to press Mr. Estrada to step down from office.

Expected at the congress are leaders of such groups as the Adios Erap in Zamboanga, Piso Para sa Pangulo in Cagayan de Oro City and other "Erap Resign" coalitions from all over Mindanao.

The congress will cap week-long protest actions. "But this is not the end of it, there will still be more protest actions until the President resigns," said Alvin Luque, secretary-general of the Alyansang Makabayan-Mindanao chapter.— Edith Regalado