THOUSANDS RALLY IN

PHILIPPINES, WARN OF
DUTERTE 'DICTATORSHIP'
GROUP 5
• MANILA (REUTERS) - THOUSANDS OF FILIPINOS RALLIED ON
THURSDAY TO DENOUNCE PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT RODRIGO
DUTERTE AND WARN OF WHAT THEY CALLED AN EMERGING
DICTATORSHIP, IN A MAJOR SHOW OF DISSENT AGAINST THE
CONTROVERSIAL BUT HUGELY POPULAR LEADER.
• POLITICIANS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, PRIESTS, BUSINESSMEN,
AND LEFT-WING ACTIVISTS HELD MARCHES AND CHURCH
MASSES ACCUSING DUTERTE OF AUTHORITARIANISM AND
PROTESTING AT POLICIES INCLUDING A FEROCIOUS WAR ON
DRUGS THAT HAS KILLED THOUSANDS.
• SIGNS SAYING "STOP THE KILLINGS" AND "NO TO
MARTIAL RULE" REFLECTED FEARS THAT DUTERTE
WOULD ONE DAY DELIVER ON HIS THREAT TO DECLARE
NATIONWIDE MILITARY RULE LIKE THAT IMPOSED BY
LATE DICTATOR FERDINAND MARCOS.
• THE RALLIES MARKED THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START
OF THAT ERA, REMEMBERED BY MANY FILIPINOS AS BRUTAL
AND OPPRESSIVE.

EFFIGIES OF DUTERTE WERE BURNED, INCLUDING ONE WHICH

BORE BOTH HIS FACE AND THAT OF LATE NAZI LEADER ADOLF
HITLER.

A PROTESTER WITH A TOY GUN PLAYED DEAD ON THE GROUND

IN A REENACTMENT OF ONE OF A SPREE OF DRUG-RELATED
KILLINGS THAT ACTIVISTS SAY ARE EXECUTIONS STAGED BY
POLICE. POLICE REJECT THOSE ALLEGATIONS.
• ANTI-DUTERTE SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS SAID DEMOCRACY
WAS UNDER THREAT BY A "DUTERTATORSHIP" WITH A "POLICY
OF KILLING".
•
VICE PRESIDENT LENI ROBREDO, WHO WAS NOT DUTERTE'S
RUNNING MATE, SAID FILIPINOS SHOULD RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF
"RISING TYRANNY".
•
"IT'S SAD THAT WE SEEMED TO HAVE NOT LEARNED OUR
LESSONS," ROBREDRO SAID. "THERE'S A CULTURE OF VIOLENCE
AROUND US."
 INFORMATION
• MARCOS DECLARED MARTIAL LAW IN 1972 AND HELD
POWER FOR 14 YEARS UNTIL HIS REMOVAL IN A
BLOODLESS, ARMY-BACKED "PEOPLE'S POWER"
UPRISING. HE ABOLISHED DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
AND WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING, TORTURING AND
"DISAPPEARING" THOUSANDS OF OPPONENTS.
• DUTERTE HAS EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR MARCOS. HIS
CRITICS ARE ALARMED BY HIS AUTOCRATIC RHETORIC AND A
VICIOUS DISDAIN FOR HIS DETRACTORS.

BUT HE WON LAST YEAR'S ELECTION BY A BIG MARGIN AND HAS

MAINTAINED ONE OF THE HIGHEST PUBLIC APPROVAL RATINGS
OF A PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT.

PROTESTERS BURN A CUBE EFFIGY WITH A FACE OF PRESIDENT

RODRIGO DUTERTE DURING A NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST
OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN METRO MANILA,
PHILIPPINES SEPTEMBER 21, 2017.
REUTERS/ROMEO RANOCO.
• SEVERAL THOUSAND TURNED OUT ON THURSDAY TO SHOW
THEIR SUPPORT FOR DUTERTE AT A RIVAL RALLY THAT
ENTERTAINED CROWDS WITH LIVE MUSIC, DANCING AND FOOD.

"THIS IS TO TELL THE PEOPLE THAT 'HERE WE ARE, WE ARE THE

MAJORITY WHO ARE HAPPY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND NOT
THOSE FEW WHO ARE JUST GRIPING'," SAID RALLY ORGANIZER
BENNY ANTIPORDA, A FORMER JOURNALIST.
• MILLIONS OF FILIPINOS ADMIRE DUTERTE'S DOWN-TO-EARTH
STYLE, HIS DECISIVENESS AND EVEN HIS IMPERFECTIONS.

HIS SUPPORTERS AT HOME AND AMONG THE DIASPORA SEE HIM

AS A CHAMPION OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THE BEST HOPE
FOR CHANGE THAT PRESIDENTS FROM THE POLITICAL ELITE
FAILED TO BRING.

THE ANTI-DUTERTE DEMONSTRATORS CRITICIZED HIS PRO-

CHINA STANCE AND THE DESTRUCTION IN SOUTHERN MARAWI
CITY BY MILITARY AIR STRIKES TARGETING ISLAMIST MILITANTS.
• OTHERS DECRIED WHAT THEY SEE AS HIS COZY RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE STILL-POWERFUL MARCOS FAMILY.

"IT SEEMS THAT WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR IN 1972, IS AGAIN BACK.

THE TOTAL DISRESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE, DIGNITY, HUMAN
RIGHTS. AND THAT WAS HOW WE STARTED," SAID RENE
SAGUISAG, A FORMER SENATOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER.

"IN SOME WAYS, IT MAY BE WORSE.

 QOUTES
• WHATEVER YOU DO,GOOD OR BAD PEOPLE WILL
ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY NEGATIVE
ABOUT YOU AND THAT’S LIFE.