Why is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. concerned about violence in the upcoming November 30 anti-corruption protests when it was his own police forces who displayed intolerance against protesters?
Reacting to the president’s statement that he is worried about so-called agitators in the next big anti-corruption rally at the end of the month, Bagong Alyasang Makabayan (BAYAN) said Marcos Jr should direct his concern to the police, the Manila LGU and his subordinates in the DILG.
The group said the police has yet to be made accountable for the violent dispersal during the September 21 protest in Mendiola and the torture of hundreds of detained protesters.
Two bystanders, a minor and a worker, were also killed that rights organizations said may have only been killed by the police.
“It is the police and authorities who should be reminded to practice maximum tolerance during protests,” BAYAN said in a statement.
Marcos Jr. on Saturday in Korea said he is concerned at “agitators” who may try to stir unrest during the next rounds of anti-corruption protests.
Marcos said: “The only concern I have when we have demonstrations for whatever reason is that there are agitators who will go and try to cause trouble.”
“What demonstrator goes to a demonstration with Molotov cocktails that are not intending to cause trouble or to hurt people? Those are the people that we are worried about,” he added.
But BAYAN said Marcos should stop excessive deployment of police personnel that reflects the government’s paranoia and intention to block protesters and undermine the people’s right to freedom of expression.
“Marcos Jr. should stop dictating how people express their outrage against the continuing large-scale corruption in government,” BAYAN secretary general Raymond Palatino said.
“His supposed concern about violence betrays his fear about being made accountable for his key role in approving the release of pork barrel funds and ghost projects,” Palatino said.
BAYAN said the Marcos government is deflecting attention from the corruption scandal into how the anti-corruption protest should be conducted.
“[T]he real issue is continuing corruption, the cover up of crimes, and impunity,” Palatino said.
Palatino pointed out that the real violence is suppressing dissent and the weaponization of laws and regulations to target and intimidate critics and activists, such as issuing police summons against student leaders who led anti-corruption protests in schools, and filing harassment cases against those who joined the September 21 protest.
“BAYAN calls for bigger and bolder protests on November 30 and beyond as we carry on the demand to pursue accountability and the struggle to dismantle bureaucrat capitalism in society,” Palatino added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
