Presidential Spokesperson Claire Castro should address the legitimate and urgent issues that BAYAN and other groups intend to raise in the September 21 protests instead of resorting to fearmongering and gaslighting.
As made clear in yesterday’s press conference, the September 21 rally is an exercise of the people’s constitutional right to peacefully assemble and seek redress of grievances, among them the continuing lack of accountability over the flood control scam and other corruption scandals, continued dominance of political dynasties, stagnant wages amidst rising prices, repression of civil rights, as well as Pax Silica and the Marcos administration’s utter subservience to US imperialism.
Castro’s repeated warnings about violence aim to divert attention from these pressing issues and unfairly cast suspicion on those who want to exercise their democratic rights. The government should be addressing corruption, poverty, human rights violations, and threats to national sovereignty, not manufacturing fear around legitimate protests.
If Castro is serious in claiming that President Marcos respects freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, then his administration must demonstrate this in practice. BAYAN and other protesters should be allowed to assemble at Liwasang Bonifacio, march to Mendiola, and hold a protest program there without being blocked or dispersed by the PNP.
The real test of the administration’s respect for democratic rights is not what Castro says in Malacañang, but what the police will do on the streets on September 21.