Students vow protests to continue through summer

MANILA, Philippines – The start of summer vacation does not mean the end of protest demonstrations against the Arroyo government.

Just when the Arroyo administration thought it would have a respite from demonstrations in the next few months because of the school break, League of Filipino Students (LFS) national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said they would be bringing their protests to places where the youth would be converging during the summer months.

The LFS joined yesterday’s youth-led interfaith rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio, which Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said drew a crowd of 4,500, but the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes said the figure was about 8,000.

The event lasted about five hours and ended peacefully.

Crisostomo said they would bring the rallies to the provinces. “We are just warming up for the summer. This summer we would coordinate with parishes and youth groups in the provinces.”

“We would go to places where the middle class youth converge like beaches, such as Boracay and Puerto Gallera, to continue the search for truth.”

Businessman Joey de Venecia III said some of the students would also organize street forums. De Venecia was one of the speakers in the three-part program with the title “Katotohanan, Katarungan, Pagbabago Isulong ang Laban.”

He said he felt the strong support of the youth for the quest for truth during his trips to the provinces.

“I just came from Mindanao and the youth there are very much aware of the real story. We hope that we would be able to sustain that even during the summer break.”

He said the government has been trying to quash the rising call for change and has resorted to harassment. “Last week, I was supposed to speak at the University of Mindanao but House Speaker Prospero Nograles called up the school and I was just told that the forum was cancelled.”

Another aborted appointment was at the University of the Philippines-College of Law where he was told that the venue was cancelled.

While their number falls below the 70,000 crowd that gathered at the Makati City central business district on Feb. 29, the organizers said the modest turnout was expected because some of the students have already returned to the provinces, were preparing for their graduation or are still taking their final exams.

When asked if this was an indication that the anti-Arroyo sentiment was waning, Adel Tamano, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) president and spokesman of the United Opposition (UNO), said “it is just wishful thinking (on the part of Malacañang).”

During the interfaith prayer part of the program, Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. shouted, “Gloria, magpakatotoo ka na o umalis ka na (get real or get out).”

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz believed that majority of the Filipino people already know the truth. “I have always said that the people no longer trust her (the President), sees her as a liar and does not have the moral ascendancy... The conclusion is obvious. It is time to go.”

However, he admitted that it is understandable why the President refuses to leave Malacañang. “She has a lot of skeletons, she would lose her immunity and would face criminal cases.”

Cruz said Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo Angel Lagdameo did not grace the affair because he was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon after suffering from severe pulmonary hypertension.– With Edu Punay, AP