Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 22) — The five-day caravan of progressive groups under the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Timog Katagalugan was halted on Friday after the Cavite police flagged their effigy ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address.
The police stopped the caravan at the border of Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite after noticing the 13-foot effigy of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte of a combat boot.
BAYAN, which tagged Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte as “bootlickers,” insisted that they did not violate any law as the effigy is within the 16-foot clearance.
“Ang panawagan po namin sa inyo [police] ay galangin din po ‘yung aming karapatan sa freedom of expression, at ‘yung freedom of expression po namin ay ginagarantiyahan ng ating Konstitusyon,” BAYAN Timog Katagalugan spokesperson Kyle Angelo Salgado said.
[Translation: We call on the police to respect our right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by the Constitution.]
Authorities said that they blocked the effigy due to safety concerns.
“Nung in-assess namin siya ay talagang unsafe siya sa daan kasi naka-hook lang siya sa isang passenger jeep. Then hindi naman talaga siya designed for parang tow truck na ganu’n,” Dasmariñas Police Station Chief Lieutenant Colonel Socrates Jaca said, adding that the effigy got tangled in some electricity cables.
[Translation: Upon our assessment, it really posed road safety risks because it was just hooked to a passenger jeep. And it wasn’t really designed for a tow truck.]
More than five hours later, both sides agreed to tow the effigy with an escort from the delegation, and for the effigy to be transported by a truck that BAYAN rented.
In a statement on Saturday, the youth organization Kabataan condemned the police’s move, calling it “outright censorship.\”
The group added that it “exposes how the administration is afraid of any form of criticism that may risk its campaign to rebrand and deodorize the Marcos name.”
“Reportedly, police also harassed drivers who are part of the caravan by attempting to confiscate their licenses and other official documents in an attempt to intimidate them to just go home,” Kabataan also said, demanding that involved police officers be held accountable.
Low score
Meanwhile, various groups under BAYAN gave Marcos a grade of zero for his performance as president and concurrent agriculture chief, as they cited wage and livelihood issues.
“Zero ‘yung ibibgay ng mga manggagawa kasi imbes na tugunan ‘yung panawagan ng mga manggagawa — unang-una diyan ‘yung pagsasabatas ng nakabubuhay na sahod — ay hindi niya pinakinggan,” Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa ng Timog Katagalugan – Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary General Mia Antonio said.
[Translation: Workers gave him a grade of zero because he did not listen to our concerns — foremost, our call for a livable wage.]
“Itlog, zero kasi inutil na presidente, inutil na DA (Department of Agriculture) secretary. Ang amin pong panawagan: kung hindi n’yo kayang mag full-time as DA secretary, kayo po ay mag-resign at kumuha kayo ng gabinete na magiging full time secretary ng Department of Agriculture na may puso para sa mga magsasaka,” said Tanggol Magsasaka Timog Katagalugan Regional Coordinator Orly Marcellaña.
[Translation: Zero, because he is a useless president, a useless DA secretary. Our call is: if you can’t be a full-time DA secretary, then just resign and appoint someone to take on the Cabinet role, someone who has the heart for farmers.]
A youth group even gave Marcos a negative score.
“Pwede bang -5? Kasi sa halip na matulungan ‘yung kabataan na ipahayag ‘yung panawagan, pangangailangan ng mga kabataan, what he does, what he continues to do ay patahimikin tayo,” Youth Advocates for Peace with Justice – University of the Philippines Los Baños chairperson John Peter Garcia said.
[Translation: Is -5 possible? Because instead of helping the youth voice out their opinions and their needs, what he does is he continues to silence us.]
