UNLIKE THE SEPTEMBER 21 anti-corruption protest which compelled the administration to come up with “promising solutions,” the sequel failed to muster enough supporters embarking in a singular message deemed crucial to force the government to fulfill its promises.
The EDSA rally called for speeding up of prosecution and penalizing of prominent personalities behind the massive and systemic government corruption, on top of the sustainable reforms on transparency and accountability of public officials.
The concerted effort likewise called for the abolition of political dynasties deemed responsible for the miseries confronting the nation.
STARK DIFFERENCES
The Luneta rally and another one along Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila were more radical in calling for the removal or resignation of all officials– from president, vice president, senators and congressmen who have been involved in the corruption that sucked the very resources of progress: the national budget– from reaching the people and creating vital infrastructure.
Interestingly, the Manila protest actions hardly left a dent amid heavy barricades and checkpoints where police effectively blocked protesters from the provinces. For “early birds,” the protest was forcibly ceased by noon.
The rally at the EDSA People Power Monument, dominated by people donning white clothes (the dress code prescribed by the Catholic Church) was substantially smaller than the Sept. 21 Trillion Peso March for accountability, transparency and good governance.
Their battlecry — concrete results from the corruption investigations soonest notwithstanding the President’s promise to haul crooks to jail before Christmas.
POWER OF THE CHURCH
For a country predominantly populated with Roman Catholic believers, the Catholic Church is highly regarded as influential to some extent. It could sway Filipinos the way it did in February 1986 in a spontaneous call for People Power.
Thirty nine years after, the Catholic Church stood anew, but not against a dictator but against a culture of corruption for which former strongman Ferdinand Msarcos Sr. was overthrown.
The historic People Power Revolution saw people from all walks of life in droves to EDSA to join the “bloodless revolution” — including elderly people and physically-impaired individuals.
Incidentally, the dictator that was overthrown in 1986 is the father and namesake of the incumbent President.
SYSTEMIC REFORMS
While all the rallies held last November 30 were after systemic reforms, the approaches to such a message were different. EDSA demonstration rally advocated more for changes in policies through more open bidding and audit systems, open investigations and destroying political dynasties through legislation (and actual adoption).
Activists who joined the Luneta and CM Recto rallies were more of changes in political leaders (removing the president and vice president) and the legislators behind the corruption in public funds.
A motley group was pushing for the removal of Marcos Jr., whom they accused of being the mastermind behind the massive corruption for the last three years.
In the event that Marcos Jr. is booted out of office, which will effectively install Vice President Sara Duterte (who is also facing corruption allegations) following the constitutional line of succession. The group behind the plan to oust Marcos, insiders claim, is being funded by legislators and contractors being implicated in the flood control fund scandal.
POLITICAL OBSERVATIONS
Political observers believe that the November 30 rally manifested more the people’s desire to wait for the results of the probe and to check if Marcos’ assurances that many will be jailed before Christmas would materialize.
Beyond jail time for the crooks, the latest anti-corruption protest action referred to as Trillion Peso March wants more stability in the Marcos leadership than allowing the Vice President to take over the helm, which would be akin to jumping from the frying pan to the fire.
Still another observation is that people are beginning to lose hope of changes in the system and that just like the pork barrel scam during the PNoy presidency, those guilty will also be acquitted from such charges and freed eventually.
Without mentioning names, among those being referred to include former Presidents Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Also on the list are Senators Juan Ponce Enrile (who died recently), Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla.
A TV network kept referring to the CM Recto rally as Mendiola rally, which is erroneous, as the militant rallyists did not even reach the Mendiola bridge, which leads to the Palace, but were kept at bay at the corner of Legarda and CM Recto Avenue.
MENDIOLA MISCONCEPTION
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) president Renato Reyes said holding a protest in Mendiola is part of their call for accountability.
“We need to continue our protest because that’s part of the message. If we say everyone is accountable, it means that includes Malacañang.
Protesters destroyed a huge effigy called the “Buwayang Dalawahan – The Marcos–Duterte Bureaucrat-Capitalist Monster” depicting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.
The assembly later sang “Bayan Ko” as part of their program.
LONGER PATIENCE SOUGHT
Malacanang meanwhile asked the extremely exasperated Filipinos for patience in the corruption cases, citing the need to adhere to the so-called due process.
Although it was not the stated goal of the event, some protesters who joined the Baha sa Luneta 2.0 rally on Sunday called for the removal of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, with a transition council floated as an “option” should both positions become vacant.
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers secretary general Ephraim Cortez said that while a transition council is not provided for under the Constitution, the charter begins with the phrase “We, the sovereign Filipino people.”
“It means the people set the Constitution, and it is also the people who will set the kind of government who will govern them. If the people want that, that is sovereign will,” the lawyer said.