Bayan southern Mindanao

STATEMENT

FEBRUARY 25, 2008

Learn the Lessons of the Past, Advance the Peoples' Movement to Oust the Corrupt US-Arroyo Regime!

Today, 22th year of first EDSA People Power uprising, the peoples' organizations, church people, youth and students will pour in Davao City's main thoroughfares to call for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's resignation. The Filipino people's struggle against If there is something that we should reminisce about the EDSA I uprising, it is the struggle of the Filipino people against tyranny and corruption. Now, Marcos ideals dwell in the US-Arroyo regime. Tyranny has returned.

Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada's revelations is reminiscent of Marcos' big time looting spree during the dictator's stint as president. Cronyism and nepotism are still alive in the belly of the bureaucracy, where new faces took over as cronies and power broker, at the behest of the president. In the wake of the NBN-ZTE controversy, we can recall the testimony of former Minister of Public Works and Highways Baltazar Aquino about kickbacks and commissions received by Marcos. Now, it takes a man's courage to reveal the truth about $130 million kickbacks before the Arroyo administration scrapped the anomalous NBN ZTE deal.

The $130 million amount of greed of former COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo could construct five hundred school buildings or even offset the shortage of textbooks and teachers in the education sector. In Southern Mindanao region alone, more than 300,000 children are incapable of getting elementary and secondary education due to poverty. Of the 980 barangays in the region, almost 160 barangays have no electricity. The Arroyos' "moderate greed" could have eased the burden and suffering of our people.

The NBN-ZTE scam is one of several scandals that the Arroyo administration had wantonly sponsored in just a span of seven years. If tolerated she might beat Marcos' record as the second most corrupt president in Asia. Since 2002, Arroyo and her minions were habitually stealing people's money by disregarding procurement process and overpricing supply contracts. Yet, even after these corrupt practices are exposed to public, the perpetrators are still left unpunished. It seemed that stealing has become everybody's business in the Arroyo administration.

We believe that the legacy of the first people power uprising can be well-remembered especially in these times when the tyrant in Malacaņang is determined to curtail legitimate dissent. Day by day the people's movement is gaining momentum. Day by day, we hear the voice of the people with a unified call to the morally corrupt US-Arroyo regime:

Enough of Arroyo's Plunder!
Enough of Arroyo's Fascist Rule!
Oust GMA Now!

For reference:

JEPPIE RAMADA
0921.823.7489