Iloilo activists mark martial law anniv with ‘National Day of Action’

NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN. An effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte is displayed at Iloilo City’s Sunburst Park as activists mark the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. It was on Sept. 21, 1972 when then President Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under military rule to supposedly quell communist rebellion. But yesterday’s (Sept. 20) mass action ahead of the anniversary today was not only about Marcos’ martial law. The protesters also pressed for the resumption of the peace talks between the national government and communists, and a halt to extrajudicial killings and corruption. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN
NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN. An effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte is displayed at Iloilo City’s Sunburst Park as activists mark the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. It was on Sept. 21, 1972 when then President Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under military rule to supposedly quell communist rebellion. But yesterday’s (Sept. 20) mass action ahead of the anniversary today was not only about Marcos’ martial law. The protesters also pressed for the resumption of the peace talks between the national government and communists, and a halt to extrajudicial killings and corruption. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN

ILOILO City – Activists here joined yesterday’s National Day of Action to mark the 47th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. They marched from the Iloilo provincial capitol to Sunburst Park.

It was on Sept. 21, 1972 when then President Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under military rule to supposedly quell communist rebellion.

Yesterday’s National Day of Action in Panay Island ahead of today’s martial law anniversary was also be observed in Roxas City, Capiz province and in Kalibo, Aklan.

But the mass action was not about Marcos’ martial law only. The protesters also pressed for the resumption of the peace talks between the national government and communists, scrapping of the Rice Tariffication Law that is being blamed for the deluge of cheap imported rice, halt to extrajudicial killings and corruption.

Reverend Father Marco Sulayao of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR Panay and Guimaras) said people would be at the losing end of an all-out war between the government and rebels.

“Ang amon panawagan sa sining komemorasyon sang martial law dapat tagaan solusyon ang ugat sang problema sa kaimolon. Ang kaimolon, ang madata nga pinatyanay masolbar lamang paagi sa pag-istoryahanay,” said Sulayao.

Marvin Saijo of the University of the Philippines Visayas’ student council, on the other hand, said they were pressing for a halt to the red-tagging of student activists and the so-called militarization of schools./PN

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