A militant group will not heed the call of the Philippine National Police to stay home and protest online when President Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 27.
Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said they would push through with their annual 鈥淪ona ng Bayan鈥� in the streets 鈥渂ecause of the intolerable attacks on our basic rights and freedoms鈥攖he passage of a terror law against dissent, the shutdown of a broadcast network and the massacre of thousands of jobs, and the failed response to the health and economic crisis.鈥漃rotests would be done online and offline, he stressed, adding, 鈥淣ow more than ever, people need to speak out because the government has failed us.鈥�
No effigy of Mr. Duterte would be physically burned for this year鈥檚 Sona but for the first time, Bayan would be parading a 鈥渧irtual effigy.鈥�
Peaceful exercise of rights
鈥淭he nationwide protests, short and limited as they may be due to the pandemic, still fall under the peaceful exercise of our constitutional rights,鈥� Reyes said.
鈥淎mid state terror and government neglect, we call on the people to resist, speak out and protest鈥攐nline and offline. We believe in the people鈥檚 courage amid this pandemic,鈥� he added.
Participants, however, would be asked to wear face masks and bring disinfectants, similar to the previous rallies on the campus of the University of the Philippines, Commission on Human Rights, Batasan Pambansa and ABS-CBN TV network. 鈥�Dexter Cabalza INQ