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| UP protesters are shown to keep distance from each other (from Renato Reyes) |
You’re not a terrorist just because you are protesting
against the Philippines
This was the impassioned message of Eman Villanueva,
chairperson of Bayan Hong Kong and Macau ,
which was among those who organized an Independence Day protest against the
bill outside the Consulate’s offices this morning, Jun 12.
Attendance to the gathering was limited to eight, in line
with Hong Kong ’s social distancing
restrictions. But the four who spoke managed to convey clearly their message
that the anti-terror bill must be junked at all cost.
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Over at the University of the Philippines
campus in Diliman, Quezon City
An estimated 5,000 people filled the entire stretch of University Avenue
Despite the huge turnout and the heavy rain that fell at
some point, participants could be seen to have done their best to maintain
social distancing.
Officers sealed off the main entrance to the campus but made
no arrest.
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| Stage actress Mae Paner dressed up as Police Gen Debold Sinas who inspired the 'mananita' cover |
Organizers dubbed the protest as a “mananita,” in reference
to the term used recently by Metro Manila’s police chief to gain exemption from
social distancing rules for an early-morning birthday given him by about two
dozen of his subordinates.
Renato Reyes of organizers Movement Against Tyranny said
they were careful not to go beyond the 12 noon deadline they set for the
protest. He also noted that the protesters dispersed peacefully.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
"Ang totoo ay 10 lamang ang inimbitahan namin pero
napakarami pala ang gustong dumalo. Di naman siguro kayo pwedeng pauwiin pa
ano? Mapayapa naman ang pagtitipon natin at walang nilalabag na batas..,” Reyes
said in a statement.
(In truth, we invited only 10 people, but we didn’t realize
that there were so many who wanted to attend. It would not have been good to
send them home, right? Our gathering was peaceful and in conformity with the
law, anyway).
He noted that the police had urged them to just do an online
petition, but he said that having already done that for the past three months,
they knew it was ineffective as the government was not listening.
A case in point, he said, was the anti-terror bill which the
government still pushed through, despite widespread opposition to it.
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| HK protesters called for 'Duterte's Terror Law' to be opposed and junked |
Back in Hong Kong ,
Villanueva said in his speech that it was ridiculous to suggest that all those
who oppose the anti-terror bill are communists, or communist supporters.
“Siguro yung mga abugado na tutol sa ‘terror bill’ ay komunista
din o supporter ng mga komunista, ano? Siguro yung mga kongresista katulad ni
Brother Eddie Villanueva ng Jesus is Lord ay komunista din o supporter?,”
Villanueva said.
Terrorism should not be equated with activism, he said, and called for the name-tagging to be thrown back at those who denounce protesters.
“Kung wala kayong ginagawa, bakit takot kayo sa protesta…sa
kritisismo? Kung wala kayong ginagawang kademonyohan, bakit takot kayo sa mga
mamamayan?,” Villanueva asked.
(If you're not doing anything wrong, why are you scared of protests, of criticism? If you are not doing anything diabolical, why are you scared of the citizenry?)
The protesters chanted slogans that called for the bill to
be junked, to fight tyranny, end impunity, and restore the country’s
independence.
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| Petition letters signed by more than 100 groups and individuals were submitted to a Consulate representative |
In a statement, Villanueva’s group warned that the bill
could be used to stifle legitimate dissent, such as the recent protests by
around half a million overseas Filipino workers against a law that made it
mandatory for them to pay jacked-up premiums for PhilHealth.
The protesters also pointed out various provisions in the
bill that contravene the Philippine Constitution, such as the curtailment of
the right to speak, organize and to due process.
In particular, they noted that under the proposed measure,
anyone can be arrested on mere suspicion of being a terrorist, and held without
any charges being filed against them for up to 24 days.
Moreover, a body appointed by the president is given the
power to issue arrest orders, which under the Constitution is exclusively
reserved for the judiciary.
The protest ended with a unity statement signed by various
Filipino community groups, as well as a solidarity statement from various
non-Filipino groups, being handed over to a representative of the Consulate,
which was closed for the national holiday.
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| PADALA NA! |
