Supporters of beleaguered Vice-president Sara Duterte-Carpio repeatedly attempted to spark another “people power revolution” at the EDSA Shrine in Manila, a move apparently aimed at ousting President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
After sporadic tries the past few months to reprise the bloodless Philippine revolt that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. way back in 1986, Duterte supporters last week came out with greater determination as they held camp at the historic site for at least four consecutive days.
PDP-Laban, the political party headed by the Vice-president’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, openly called on its members and supporters last December 1 to mass at EDSA Shrine.
“Labas na! Tara na sa Edsa Shrine. Ilabas ang iyong saloobin sa panggigipit at tahasang pamumulitika ng administrasyong Marcos. Mulatin natin ang mga nakapikit at nagbibingibingihan. Kailangan tayo ng taumbayan. Halika na’t makiisa!” PDP-Laban’s Facebook post read.
(Come out! Let’s gather at Edsa Shrine. Express your thoughts on the oppression and blatant politicking of the Marcos administration. Let’s open the eyes of those who are still blind and deaf to the situation. The people need us. Come and let’s unite!)
Several video bloggers supporting the Dutertes also used their platforms to ask Filipinos to gather at the Catholic shrine.
Last week’s crowd at EDSA ranged from a few hundreds to about five thousand at its peak, according to police estimates. A number of demonstrators carried placards emblazoned with the words, “Marcos Resign!”
Speakers also took turns at the mega-phone they carried, lambasting the Marcos administration for its alleged political harassment of Vice-president Duterte-Carpio.
The Vice-president, however, did not show up at the shrine located a stone throw’s away from the headquarter camps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The PNP said it collected reports that some demonstrators at EDSA were bribed. “Pinangakuan daw na babayaran sila at pakakainin,” said PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo in a press briefing as soon as people began to show up at the shrine last week.
(They were offered payment and food.)
Demonstrators interviewed by television crews at the site denied that they were paid to appear at EDSA. The crowd eventually disappeared late Sunday, December 1, claiming police units barricaded the area.
Former president Duterte was similarly a no-show at the anti-Marcos rallies although he appeared in an online press conference early last week to ask the military to correct what he called as “fractured governance” under President Marcos Jr.
The elder Duterte also asked the military if it would continue to support Marcos if it knew he was a drug addict. “Hanggang kailan kayo mag suporta ng drug addict na presidente?” Duterte asked. (For how long will you support a drug addict of a president?)
In Malacañang, Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin criticized the former president for “calling for a sitting President to be overthrown” so that his daughter could take over the country.
“He will go to great and evil lengths, such as insulting our professional armed forces by asking them to betray their oath, for his plan to succeed,” said Bersamin, a former chief Justice.
Over at the AFP command center, military chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. called on soldiers to remain loyal to the Constitution. “In the past days, we have seen a myriad of events that transpired in our country and this has shaken the political environment of our country. As soldiers, we should not be shaken by this,” the military chief said in a speech before the troops last week.
The two successful people power revolutions at EDSA in the past were both marked by the withdrawal of military support from the sitting president.
In 1986, then President Marcos Sr. saw his defense minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, and deputy military chief, Fidel Ramos, announcing their break from the administration due to massive corruption. Backed by millions of demonstrators, Enrile and Ramos holed themselves up at EDSA for about a week until they successfully caused the defection of majority of the armed forces to their side, forcing Marcos to leave the country.
In 2001, widespread protests over the conduct of the impeachment trial against then president Joseph Estrada culminated in EDSA attracting about a million demonstrators. Then AFP chief of staff Angelo Reyes later decided to join the EDSA demonstrators that forced Estrada to leave Malacañang. —VER BERMUDEZ (Contributing Editor)
