MANILA, Philippines - A group of party-list lawmakers, wearing peach Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana outfits, walked out of the House of Representatives' plenary hall before President Aquino started his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday afternoon.
Aquino has barely started the SONA when lawmakers from left-leaning party-lists led by Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares marched out of the plenary shortly after the National Anthem was sung.
"Ang pag-walk out namin ay para makiisa sa sambayanang Pilipino [na] labanan ang korupsyon," Colmenares said in an interview outside the plenary hall.
He said that the real "state of the nation" is gleaned from the shouts of those who marched outside the Batasan Pambansa Complex.
Thousands of protesters burned President Aquino's effigy and cry for Aquino's ouster for his administration's Disbursement Acceleration Fund junked as illegal by the Supreme Court.
Colmenares said they will join the rally outside the well-secured complex.
The same group of lawmakers endorsed the impeachment complaints against Aquino in connection with DAP.