“And as a mater of fact, I’m giving you all the space, all the streets. Wala nang permit-permit. Sige, bahala kayo. Hindi ko nga rin kayo mahuli kung manghingi ako ng permit because that is guaranteed under the Constitution, the right for a redress of grievance, the right to free expression, the right to free speech. And you are all Filipinos, I presume, pati ‘yung mga Lumads, lalo na sila ang nauna. Go ahead be my guest,” Duterte said in an interview with Erwin Tulfo in the program “Sa Totoo Lang” aired at government television PTV4 on September 15.
Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) announced its commemoration of the 45th year Martial Law declaration and protest against fascism tomorrow to be held 4pm at Burnham Green in Luneta, but some park administration bureaucracy or government red tape is about to get in the way.
“Mr. Duterte has said all parks are open to be venues of peaceful protests tomorrow and has even declared it a National Day of Protest. But this is belied by the actions of his officials at the National Parks Development Committee (NDPC) who would like to relegate the rally to an insignificant portion of Luneta,” said MAT in its statement posted on its Facebook account.
The protesters vied to hold the protest in the Burnham Greens area, but they found out today they were assigned at the Lapu-Lapu monument. They said this is “not large enough to safely accommodate the tens of thousands expected to join the September 21 protests.”
Burnham Greens, which can accommodate 100,000 people, was instead assigned to a feeding program and medical mission activity of the Lions Club that has only 2,000 participants.
In a phone interview with an NDPC staff, they said they gave the Burnham Greens area to the Lions Club for the group’s anniversary activities. The staff also said that reservation of venue is on a “first come, first served basis” policy. MAT’s letter was received by the NDPC via e-mail on September 12 or 13, while the Lions Club letter was received earlier but the staff was not able to specify the date.
The Lions Club activity is set to take place from 2pm to 8pm, while the protest rally was scheduled for 4pm to 8pm.
This development came after protesters aired indignation over what they see as the president’s moves to derail the Thursday big rally. In subsequent days and speeches, protesters said Duterte was heard scaring people that the New People’s Army are coming down with their guns to join the rally, threatening a nationwide martial law declaration if protesters vandal, violate law or become unruly, holding a nationwide earthquake drill and saying he will declare a holiday on September 21, which meant to organizers that this would keep students and workers from joining the rally en masse from their schools and workplaces.
Around five days after his holiday proposition, Duterte went on to declare a ‘National Day of Protest’. He declared there will be no classes or work on September 21 but that it is not a holiday, confusing many. On the same day, the Department of National Defense announced postponement of its Office of Civil Defense’s quarterly earthquake drill.
Officials in Malacañang Palace, following Duterte’s pronouncements, announced cancellation of classes and work in government on September 21, in line with the National Day of protest. They would later clarify this to say the cancellation is only for public schools and for work in the executive branch of government.
MAT has been informed by Lions Club officials that they will abide by whatever will be the NDPC’s decision.
