Anti-Arroyo Protests Today Touted as ‘Biggest Yet’

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) today expressed confidence that the Makati mobilization will send a very strong message to Malacañang and other institutions of the government that the Filipino people seriously and urgently demand for truth, justice, and meaningful changes in the leadership and system of governance amid the latest political crisis that has been rocking the Arroyo regime.

“This is the strongest rejection yet of the Arroyo regime,” Reyes said.

The multi-sectoral alliance is among the main organizers of the Interfaith Prayer Assembly today at the Makati City, which Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. described as the widest gathering yet of the various organizations, groups, and sectors seeking to determine the truth about the anomalous $329-million broadband deal between the Philippines and China’s ZTE Corp.

Reyes said that the Interfaith Prayer Assembly is an encouraging sign of political maturity. “No single group or person claims credit in leading this initiative. No one is excluded and everybody, every group, made a contribution. Mrs. Gloria Arroyo made this possible. Her bankrupt and corrupt regime provided the urgency for everyone to set aside their differences and struggle together for truth and justice”, observed Reyes.

The Bayan leader added that the huge and broad mobilization today is also a show of force that hopefully will encourage and embolden more government officials who know about the ZTE-NBN scandal and other anomalous government transactions to come forward. “We commit to firmly support them, like the way we have been supporting Jun Lozada”, Reyes said.

Junk EO 464, executive privilege

For her part, Bayan national chairperson Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo urged the Supreme Court (SC) to junk Executive Order (EO) No. 464 and question the “executive privilege” to clear the way for the whole truth about the ZTE-NBN scam to come out, including the culpability of Mrs. Arroyo and other high ranking government officials.

The SC has set oral arguments next week on these contentious measures, which the Arroyo regime has effectively used to prevent legislative inquiries on controversial issues confronting Malacañang. “We hope the justices listen to the people’s clamor,” Araullo said.

Araullo added that Arroyo and her cabal have no one to blame but themselves for the quagmire they are in right now. “Did they really think that they can fool all the people all the time? The more lies they make, the more they fuel the quickly spreading public outrage and indignation. At this point, nothing can douse this fire but for Arroyo and her cohorts to be prosecuted” said Araullo.

The Bayan chairperson said that by exposing the multi-million dollar commissions and kickbacks involved in the NBN-ZTE contract, Lozada, a former government consultant, has become a symbol of the Filipino people’s unrelenting struggle not only for truth and justice but also for accountability and substantial political reforms that could root out bureaucratic corruption.

“But Lozada is just a symbol. The real strength comes from the people’s unrelenting resolve to achieve truth and justice and their collective action to bring about regime change. History is proof that the Filipino people are capable of doing it”, Araullo said. (END)