August 05, 2016 , 05:27pm

Duterte gov’t: Prospects for Change

UCCP Gen-Sec Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza

TORONTO FORUM

Just a day after newly-elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), the current situation and prospects for change under the new administration were the subject of a public forum sponsored by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-Toronto), Migrante Ontario, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-Canada) and the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) July 26 at the OPSEU Region 5 union hall.

The forum opened with a song of struggle and hope performed by Norman Crisostomo of the newly-formed Scarborough-based Tambuli. General Secretary of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza, here recently to attend the Partners’ Council meetings of the United Church of Canada (UCC), addressed the peace and order situation (focused on the illegal drug problem and related extrajudicial killings); and the peace process between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Necta Montes, Secretary General of the World Student Christian Federation, discussed the People’s Agenda, 15-point program for change summarized in a 5-point set of the people’s demands for the new administration to address in its first 100 days: on economic reform; progressive and pro-people social policies; national sovereignty and foreign policy; peace and human rights; governance and fighting corruption.

Necta Montes, Sec-Gen WSCF

A lively discussion followed as representatives of the Duterte-Cayetano Campaign group who now call themselves Pinoys in Canada Patriotic Movement (PCPM), the Filipino Workers’ Network (FWN), Anakbayan-Toronto and members of the community press, solidarity friends in academe and from progressive Canadian organizations aired their views and concerns. Guests from the Canadian churches and the Student Christian Movement (SCM) of Canada were also present. To keep the crowd animated, a musical number was rendered by Krownless Kings vocalist Justin Lima and son Jethro.

Ron Turla of the PCPM declared his organization’s concurrence with the avowed objectives of the new administration. In particular he stated support for the president’s position to “eradicate corruption in government as this is contributes to worsening poverty.” Still, while many hail the assumption to power of a pro-poor president who has vowed to rid the country of the drug problem and criminality, and work towards “silencing of the guns”, questions were raised regarding the extrajudicial killings of drug users and pushers mostly from the urban poor and lower rungs of society while those among the ringleaders, a number of them military and police officials Duterte has already named, still have to be brought to justice.

“Even the worst of criminals have rights and should be accorded due process,” according to Bishop Marigza who mentioned this as a cause for concern. He cited the country’s long history of extrajudicial killings – “salvaging” under the Marcos dictatorship, to the many hundreds of political activists summarily executed under the Arroyo and the past Aquino administrations. Mila Garcia of the Philippine Reporter cited the killing of journalists and human rights defenders under not only the Marcos regime but also under succeeding regimes to which the people’s movement has said “Never again!” She stated support for the demand in the 15-point People’s Agenda for Change to respect “human rights . . . in all aspects—political, civil, economic, social and cultural”, respect for these rights required by International Humanitarian Law even under conditions of war.

Lesley Valiente and Rhea Gamana, emcees (PHOTO: HG)

Rhea Gamana and Lesley Valiente of Anakbayan raised the youth’s concern over the educational system, specifically the K-12 plan that favours the private schools and “serves the economic policies of imperialist powers”. Ben Corpuz, representing the FWN, stated the organization’s support for the people’s demand to “improve the wage and living conditions of the workers, and to stop the Philippine government’s labour export policy (LEP).” How to stop the LEP was a point raised by the Prof Philip Kelly from YCAR. This issue would be addressed by key demands in the 15-Point People’s Agenda that have to be treated interconnectedly according to guest Necta Montes. These are the implementation of genuine “land reform as a matter democratic right and social justice, as the foundation of economic development and as a method of liberating the landless tillers, releasing capital, promoting rural development and creating a domestic market; and national industrialization as the lead factor of economic development and as the key to solving unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment.”

Philip Fernandez, Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada

Philip Fernandez of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada pointed out that current developments in the Philippines are happening at a time when governments as those in Venezuela, Brazil and Cuba are being undermined. Whenever governments take a progressive stance, or side with the people’s interest, these are booted out from power through assassination or other means. According to Fernandez the hope lies in the working class and people of the Philippines “keeping their initiative and not simply relying on such leaders, having their own agenda for an independent economy, taking and maintaining control over their own resources and development to put an end to forced migration,” and thus attain true progress.

Mention was made of the unilateral ceasefire called by President Duterte. However, Bishop Marigza pointed out this had to be accompanied also by the pullout of State troops, especially from the Lumad areas. Moreover, the president had said earlier on that there can be no real peace “until the fundamental needs of every man, woman and child are met.”

In the end, the point was stressed that there can be no end to the armed conflict in the country without addressing the fundamental issues at the root of poverty, hunger and landlessness, unemployment, underemployment and migration, foreign control over the economy and absence of national industrialization, human rights violations, graft and corruption. (R. Esguerra)