From the Latin American Herald Tribune (Nov 8): Protests Held in Manila Ahead of Trump Upcoming Visit for ASEAN Summit
More than a hundred people turned up in Manila on Tuesday to protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump – the first in a series of demonstrations planned ahead of his arrival to the Philippines.
Left-wing alliance Bayan organized the protests in front of the Malacañang presidential palace, where those gathered chanted slogans against Trump and carried placards with various messages scrawled across them, including “Trump is not welcome in PH (Philippines).”
The US president, who is currently in Seoul as part of his tour of East Asia, is scheduled to arrive in Manila on Sunday to participate in an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit.
Protesters carried caricatures of Trump, burned a mock US flag and gathered around a painting on the ground depicting the president with a red cross covering his face, along with the words “Ban Trump in PH.!”
The organizers made several demands in a press note, including ending US military interventions, stopping military aid for the Philippine government and an official apology for alleged atrocities during the US rule of the Philippines (1898-1946).
Tuesday’s protest was the first in a series planned over the next few days against Trump’s upcoming visit to the country, including a gathering in front of the US embassy on Monday.
The banned Communist Party of the Philippines on Tuesday issued a statement urging Filipinos to rise up against Trump’s visit.
BAYAN (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-New Patriotic Alliance) is the main Communist Party of the Philippines multisectoral umbrella front organization active in the Philippines. The group has chapters scattered throughout the county.
ReplyDeleteBAYAN is a coalition of other CPP front groups such as the Kilusang Mayo Uno, peasant organizations such as Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, youth organizations such as the League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan, religious organizations such as the Student Christian Movement - Philippines, the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace and Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR), feminist organizations such as GABRIELA, Kilusan ng Manggawang Kababaihan (Women Workers' Movement), SAMAKANA (Association of United and Free Women) and AMIHAN (National Federation of Peasant Women), Health Workers' organizations such as the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), educational/scientific organizations such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Scientists, Technologists, Engineers for the People (STEP), fisherfolk such as Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA - National Federation of Fisherfolk Organizations), cultural organizations such as BUGKOS, and indigenous people's organizations such as Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP - National Federation Of Indigenous Peoples' Organizations), MIGRANTE -Alliance of Filipino Migrants Organizations.