SONA protesters face Duterte

SONA protesters face Duterte

By DEE AYROSO
Bulatlat

MANILA – On his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Duterte made another record first, as right after giving his two-hour official speech inside Congress, he walked straight outside to Batasan Road, to face thousands of protesters who had just spent the whole day criticizing his administration.

His appeal to activists has apparently waned, as Duterte faced a disaffected crowd, many of whom jeered and shouted as he walked into the stage surrounded by Presidential Security Guards (PSG).

The rallyists led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) got their chance to voice out to the President himself the slogans they have long chanted in past protests, such as, lift martial law in Mindanao, resume peace talks, free all political prisoners, make contractual workers regular, withdraw military troops from communities.

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