Sep 20, 2017
“And as a mater of fact, I’m giving you all the space, all the streets. Wala nang permit-permit. Sige, bahala kayo. Hindi ko nga rin kayo mahuli kung manghingi ako ng permit because that is guaranteed under the Constitution, the right for a redress of grievance, the right to free expression, the right to free speech. And you are all Filipinos, I presume, pati ‘yung mga Lumads, lalo na sila ang nauna. Go ahead be my guest,” Duterte said in an interview with Erwin Tulfo in the program “Sa Totoo Lang” aired at government television PTV4 on September 15.
Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) announced its commemoration of the 45th year Martial Law declaration and protest against fascism tomorrow to be held 4pm at Burnham Green in Luneta, but some park administration bureaucracy or government red tape is about to get in the way.
“Mr. Duterte has said all parks are open to be venues of peaceful protests tomorrow and has even declared it a National Day of Protest. But this is belied by the actions of his officials at the National Parks Development Committee (NDPC) who would like to relegate the rally to an insignificant portion of Luneta,” said MAT in its statement posted on its Facebook account.
The protesters vied to hold the protest in the Burnham Greens area, but they found out today they were assigned at the Lapu-Lapu monument. They said this is “not large enough to safely accommodate the tens of thousands expected to join the September 21 protests.”
Burnham Greens, which can accommodate 100,000 people, was instead assigned to a feeding program and medical mission activity of the Lions Club that has only 2,000 participants.
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