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PRESS RELEASE
February 23, 2008
Moro group commemorates EDSA 1, calls for GMA’s ouster
COTABATO CITY, PHILIPPINES – The Suara Bangsamoro (Voice of the Bangsamoro)
organization here will commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the EDSA 1
People Power uprising that toppled the Marcos dictatorship on Monday,
February 25.
The group will participate in the nationally-coordinated protest lead by
Bagong Alyansa Makabayan amid fresh allegations of corruption and calls
for ouster facing the Arroyo administration.
Bai Ali Indayla, the group’s national secretary-general, said that the
NBN-ZTE scandal is just one of the numerous anomalies scourging President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration. Most recent is the massacre of
eight innocent civilians in Maimbung, Sulu ‘where as commander-in-chief,
she was held responsible.’
“GMA has no heart for the Bangsamoro people. In the guise of chasing after
Abu Sayyaf elements, the Moro people are often times the victims. Among
cases of killings, not even one was resolved,” Indayla exclaimed.
The group said that their action on Monday will be a build-up towards a
bigger mobilization to a “new brand of people power” that was announced by
Catholic bishops last Tuesday (February 19).
“Now is the time for the Moro people to be united in kicking out a corrupt
and callous president. Under GMA’s tenure, the rate of poor Moro families
has continue to increase as well as cases of rights violations and
extra-judicial killings,” Indayla stressed.
According to Ibon Foundation, an independent research institute, seven out
of 10 Filipinos are poor and jobless. Pulse Asia, on the other hand,
reported GMA as the most corrupt president in the Philippine history.
Moreover, Indayla also lambasted the “unity walk” of GMA with her dummies
as “a hysterical effort to project an untouchable façade in coping the
enraged Filipino people.”
“Their effort shows that their days are counted as the day passes by.
Their number continues to decrease every day. Whatever their efforts are,
the Filipino people are certain in saying ‘Enough of GMA!’ The Bangsamoro
people could no longer endure this corrupt, fascist and illegitimate
government,” Indayla ended.►
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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 Malacañang 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!
BAYAN - Southern Mindanao
For reference:
JEPPIE RAMADA
0921.823.7489
Download statement
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