ILOILO City – Cause-oriented groups in Iloilo City will be free to stage protests on September 21, the anniversary of Martial Law, without securing rally permits — a move seen to encourage wider public participation amid mounting outrage over alleged corruption in multi-billion peso flood control projects.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) confirmed it will implement President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive suspending permit requirements for demonstrations.
ICPO director Police Colonel Kim Legada said the order takes precedence over existing local ordinances.
“As of now, may declaration aton Presidente. Kun may existing man nga mga ordinances or resolutions diri sa level sang city, these could not supersede the proclamation of the President, so we have to follow,” Legada said.
Despite the exemption, at least one group — Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Panay — still filed a permit application.
Legada said the request was processed and endorsed to city hall, noting that Bayan Panay remains the usual organizer of such mobilizations.
He assured that ICPO would field sufficient security personnel depending on the situation on the ground.
The President made the declaration during a Sept. 15 press conference in Malacañang as questions over flood control spending fueled growing calls for accountability. Marcos admitted he understood public anger, saying people had every right to take to the streets.
“Since this has all been exposed, well, it’s actually known to many people, but it has now been exposed to the general public, do you blame them for going out into the streets?” Legada said.
He went further, saying that if he were not president, he might have joined the protests himself.
“Of course, they are enraged. Of course, they are angry. I am angry. We should all be angry. Because what’s happening is not right. So, yes, express it. You come, you make your feelings known to these people and make them answerable for the wrongdoings that they have done.”
For decades, progressive groups have marked September 21 — the date Martial Law was declared in 1972 — with demonstrations nationwide. This year, activists are expected to use the historic day to amplify demands for truth and accountability in government infrastructure projects, turning the anniversary into a powerful expression of public dissent./PN
