Talks to hold one ‘unified’ EDSA rally break down, protest plans diverge

MANILA, Philippines – Progressive groups will mark the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution at EDSA on Wednesday, February 25, but not on a shared stage or with a common program, after talks to coordinate actions and messaging broke down.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) president Renato Reyes told Rappler on Sunday, February 22, that efforts to coalesce with the Trillion Peso March Movement failed despite at least two meetings earlier this month. 

As a result, different protest actions will proceed separately, even if they end up in the same general area along EDSA.

The Trillion Peso March Movement’s program will be held at the People Power Monument along White Plains Avenue, while Bayan will convene at the EDSA Shrine. 

“The groups will have to just continue with their plans kahit na hindi nagkakaisa at the very least you will have a situation where the different protest actions are in a common area which is EDSA,” he told Rappler. “Pero there will be siguro divergence or nuancing when it comes to the messaging, kung hanggang saan dinadala ang kritisismo o batikos doon sa mga personaheng sangkot sa korapsyon,” Reyes added.

(The groups will just have to continue with their plans even if they are not unified, and at the very least you will have a situation where the different protest actions are in a common area, which is EDSA. But there will likely be some divergence or nuance when it comes to the messaging, including how far the criticism or censure goes toward the individuals involved in corruption.)

Talks to share a common stage and program were prompted by criticism over the separate anti-corruption rallies that were held in September last year.

To oust or not to oust?

The lack of unity comes amid disagreements over political demands and protest parameters. 

In a Facebook post on Friday, February 20, Trillion Peso March Movement convenor Francis Dee said their action would focus on calls to jail corrupt officials, pass an anti-dynasty law, and enact anti-corruption measures. Bayan, on the other hand, is calling for the resignation of both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, among other demands.

Dee, grandson of democracy icons Benigno Aquino Jr. and former president Corazon Aquino, also said that prohibited calls include violence, appeals to the armed forces, or demands to install unelected bodies such as a revolutionary government or transition council.

The Trillion Peso March Movement conducted a coordinated walk-through with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday, in preparation for Wednesday’s rally.

During the coordination meeting between MMDA and Trillion Peso March Movement organizers, Elmo San Diego, head of Quezon City’s Department of Public Order and Safety, said that they will not issue permits to those who call for the governments’ downfall. 

“Hindi papayag ang QC government na ang direksyon ng rally niyo ay short of saying a seditious stand,” he said. “Definitely hindi bibigyan ng permit iyan kasi ang assessment ng QCPD diyan ay hindi tama at delikado.” (The Quezon City government will not allow your rally to take a direction that comes close to taking a seditious stand. It definitely will not be granted a permit because the QCPD’s assessment is that it is inappropriate and dangerous.)

Reyes said those restrictions did not sit well with Bayan and allied groups.

“So I think it’s very problematic pag ganoon ang sinasabi nila na you try to limit the alternatives, ito ang highest form of democracy, direct action of the Filipino people,” he said. (So I think it’s very problematic when they say things like that, when you try to limit the alternatives. This is the highest form of democracy, the direct action of the Filipino people.)

No permit?

Beyond political differences, logistical and permit issues have also complicated coordination. 

Reyes said the Quezon City local government told Bayan it had no jurisdiction over the stretch of EDSA in front of the EDSA Shrine, and advised the group to secure permits from the Mandaluyong local government and the Eastern Police District.

“I don’t know why that’s the outcome because in the past, groups were able to hold protests on that strip in front of EDSA Shrine, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” he said.

The Quezon City local government confirmed this in a statement on Sunday, saying they endorsed Bayan’s request to the appropriate agencies since EDSA is a “major highway with multi-city jurisdiction.” 

The city government, however, approved the application of the Trillion Peso March Movement, whose program will be held at the People Power Monument along White Plains Avenue, which falls within Quezon City.

The local government said it also proposed a single, unified stage to make traffic management and crowd control easier, but acknowledged that some groups did not agree with the suggestion.

Former Ateneo School of Government dean and human rights lawyer Antonio “Tony” La Viña weighed in, saying no permit is required for rallies and marches under existing jurisprudence. In a Facebook post, he said authorities may regulate the time, place, and manner of assemblies, but may not impose prior approval of content. – With reports from Dwight de Leon/Rappler.com