By By Tiffany Xu
On its second year as a special working holiday, thousands of Panayanons across the 4 provinces of Panay Island militantly took to the streets to resist unresolved corruption in spirit of EDSA People Power.
EDSA 1 was remembered by Filipinos as an uprising that toppled a dictator for its ticket martial law regime with 11,000 victims and the malversation of ill-gotten wealth. Whereas, EDSA 2 led to the ouster of former President Joseph Estrada due to massive plunder and the obstruction of the impeachment trial at the time.
Today, the country is embroiled in widespread, systematic corruption over unprogrammed appropriations and project kickbacks. Anti-corruption groups call for genuine accountability amid impeachment cases for the highest ranking officials President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, whose former-president father is also facing trial at the International Criminal Court for drug war-related crimes.
In Iloilo, as much as 5,000 locals from the church, workers, professional, transport, peasant, and youth sector converged from Iloilo Provincial Capitol for a short program before marching towards Jaro Cathedral to attend a solidarity mass.
“Complacency has no place in democracy,” uttered Kahublagan Kontra Kurapsyon (KKK) Lead Convenor and former Kabataan Partylist representative Raoul Manuel, who also lambasted the ruling political factions for peddling disinformation. Manuel states that he, alongside the opposition bloc Makabayan, has never once received kickbacks nor engage in public service for financial gain.
In Roxas City, Capiz, a silent walk, prayer, and candle-lighting protest was led by the Metropolitan Cathedral and Archdiocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Concepcion (MCASIC) following a short program led by KKK-Capiz at the Plaza Bandstand.
Aklan contingents staged a lightning protest and march around Crossing Banga, comprising progressives from Rise Up Aklan, BAYAN-Aklan, Gabriela, Anakbayan, Pagtililibyog it Mangunguma sa Aklan (PANGUMA), and Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA)- Aklan.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Antiqueños attended mass, and walked from San Jose Cathedral to EBJ Monument for a protest concert led by AMLIG Antique Alliance.
According to AMLIG, the province is currently marred with several ghost projects linked to overpricing, unauthorized mining ventures and illegal environmental practices by corporations such as SunWest Inc., International Builders Corporation (IBC), and AM Oreta & Allencon Development Corporation among others.
Elmer Forro of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)- Panay asserts that the outcry shall not cease for as long as the ‘corrupt system’ continues to harm the people. He called on Panayanons to invigorate the very essence of EDSA until justice from corruption is served./PT
