ILOILO City – Threats to arrest individuals wearing protest-themed attire at President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) scheduled for July 22 did not sit well with the Ilonggo congressman of the progressive party-list Kabataan.
Cong. Raoul Manuel challenged the implementation of a dress code/protocol that could potentially target attendees expressing dissent through their outfits.
“Does this mean I could be arrested within Congress on SONA day for wearing protest art?” Manuel told Panay News.
He questioned whether President Marcos Jr. feels threatened by protest art or is only comfortable with “stolen art” highlighting what he sees as hypocrisy in restricting expressions of dissent.
Early this week, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco announced that guests at the SONA wearing outfits with derogatory words or political messages would be banned. These attendees would either be barred from the event or asked to change.
“This is SONA. It’s not a day of protest; there are designated areas for that. This is neither the place nor the time to express anything,” stressed Velasco, adding that non-compliance could lead to arrest and detention.
But Manuel argued that the SONA should serve not as a platform for glorifying power but as an avenue for the public to voice concerns and hold the government accountable for the nation’s real state.
He reiterated his party-list’s commitment to defending the right to express dissent, especially in a time of rising authoritarian policies.
Meanwhile, Velasco further specified that while media personnel could wear clothes bearing their company names, outfits with expressions of protest or even cartoon depictions of certain personalities would not be allowed.
“The SONA is a formal event. The proper attire is coat and tie or barong,” he stressed./PN
