Filipino activists maintain placards throughout a protest commemorating the thirty eighth anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution that overthrew the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, earlier than marching in the direction of EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Hundreds of Filipino protesters marched by way of Manila on February 25, marking the anniversary of the rebellion that ousted Ferdinand Marcos, whereas vowing to forestall his son from repeating the dictatorship.
Marcos Jr gained the presidency in a landslide in 2022, almost 4 a long time after a “People Power” rebellion ended his late father’s 20-year rule and chased the clan into exile within the United States.
While Marcos Jr stays widespread, his marketing campaign to change the 1987 structure has proved divisive.
Critics warn the hassle may result in the abolishment of time period limits, with presidents at the moment allowed only one six-year stint in workplace.
“The theme of this protest is to reject Marcos’s charter change moves which is a move to remain (in) power… which is basically what happened 38 years ago,” stated economist Rosario Guzman, 58, who instructed AFP that she had additionally taken half within the 1986 rebellion.
“No to Cha-Cha (charter change),” learn a protest banner displayed behind a mock black coffin marked “Freedom and Democracy”.
Marcos maintains he’s primarily looking for to amend the constitution’s financial provisions to permit extra international funding, and ideally create extra jobs.
He has stated the political points, together with time period limits, needs to be tackled later.
According to police in Manila, a number of hundred individuals joined Sunday’s march, a far cry from the group that paralysed the capital’s principal avenue over 4 days in February 1986 till the navy withdrew its assist for the elder Marcos.
Rights teams say Marcos Sr’s regime jailed, tortured or killed tens of 1000’s of critics, together with spiritual leaders, journalists and pupil activists, whereas corruption left the nation impoverished.
At the thirty eighth anniversary march, 21-year-old demonstrator Giu de Sagun stated he felt like he was “watching history repeat itself.”
Some protesters wore shirts and hats vowing “never again”.
At a small, official anniversary occasion in Manila, a bunch of presidency employees raised Philippine flags after laying a wreath in entrance of the People Power Monument. No senior authorities officers attended.
Marcos Jr and his household returned to the Philippines after his father’s demise in 1989, and started a exceptional political comeback.
His presidential victory was fuelled by an enormous on-line misinformation marketing campaign that portrayed his father’s time in workplace as a golden period.
He has since gained reward for pivoting away from his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal drug warfare, which left 1000’s useless.
Under the youthful Marcos’ authorities, rights campaigner and vocal Duterte critic Leila de Lima was additionally freed after almost seven years behind bars.
“Under (Marcos Jr), we are given the opportunity to make use of a democratic space in transition from the authoritarian regime that was Duterte’s,” she instructed reporters final week.
“This is our breathing room from the seven years of nightmare that we thought was all over in 1986,” she added.
Source: www.thehindu.com
