Protests against
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
escalated on November 18, 2016, following Duterte's support of the
burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.
These series of protests are mostly conducted by progressive groups and other opposing figures mainly due to the ongoing
war on drugs
The war on drugs is a Globalization, global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of prohibition of drugs, drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the Unite ...
, the declaration of martial law in
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, and employment issues such as contractual terms being applied by companies and inflation which occurred due to the passage of the
Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law
The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN Law), officially designated as Republic Act No. 10963, is the initial package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 19, 201 ...
. Other causes of the protests include the government's response to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the passage of the
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, officially designated as Republic Act No. 11479, is a counter-terrorism law intended to prevent, prohibit, and penalize terrorism in the Philippines. The law was passed by the 18th Congress of the Philippines, 18 ...
, and the
shutdown and franchise denial of ABS-CBN.
Causes of the protests
War on drugs, extrajudicial killings, and other police-related controversies
![Protest mobilization against Oplan Tokhang (Philippine Drug War) remembering the victims](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Protest_mobilization_against_Oplan_Tokhang_%28Philippine_Drug_War%29_remembering_the_victims.jpg)
Duterte began the war against
illegal drugs in the country the moment he began his presidency, promising to kill thousands of people involved in the drug trade. During the course of the drug war, more than 6,000 mostly petty drug users and suspects have been killed during police anti-drug operations.
The killings have garnered attention from human rights groups, Western governments, and U.N. rights experts.
Protests against the war on drugs, such as one done by
Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) in front of Camp Crame, have been conducted as early as August 2016. Despite the deaths in the campaign, Duterte's popularity in opinion polls has remained high.
A coalition named "Manlaban sa EJK" (''Manananggol Laban sa Extra Judicial Killings'') was formed by lawyers, teachers, and law students in November 2017.
Aside from the war on drugs and extrajudicial killings, there have been forced disappearances under the Duterte administration.
[See the following reports of ''desaparecidos'':
*2016:
*2018: ''Note: Pause at 1:07 for the names of missing person.''] with at least 50 cases of enforced disappearance as of August 30, 2020. Forced disappearances are commemorated every
All Saints' Day
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are know ...
by relatives – many of whom have been grieving since the
Arroyo administration (as in the case of
Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006).
[ According to the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), there have been 1,993 cases of forced disappearances since Marcos regime.
The death toll from war on drugs varies: officials claim that the number of those killed have reached 5,779, but opposition leaders and human rights workers assert that more than 27,000 have been killed.
]
Killings of delos Santos, Arnaiz and de Guzman
The most notable case of youth casualties during the campaign is the killing of 17-year-old student, Kian Loyd delos Santos, from Caloocan
Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
, on August 16, 2017, at the hands of the police. The incident sparked controversy among local politicians and militant groups and triggered massive protest in the country. Within two days, two more teenagers, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman, were killed. Arnaiz, a 19-year-old teenager, last found in Cainta
Cainta, officially the Municipality of Cainta ( fil, Bayan ng Cainta, ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 376,933 people.
It is one of the oldest municipalit ...
, Rizal, was tortured and shot dead on August 17 by police after allegedly robbing a taxi in Caloocan. His 14-year-old friend, Reynaldo "Kulot" de Guzman was stabbed to death 30 times and thrown into a creek in Gapan
Gapan, officially the City of Gapan ( fil, Lungsod ng Gapan), is a 4th class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...
, Nueva Ecija. Along with the deaths of Kian delos Santos, the deaths of the two teenagers also triggered public outrage and condemnation.
Death of River Nasino
River Nasino (July 1, 2020 – October 9, 2020) died in a Manila hospital after suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath (dyspnea), rapid breathing (tachypnea), and bluish skin colo ...
while her mother Reina Mae Nasino was detained for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. A 23-year-old human rights worker, Nasino and two other activists were arrested in Tondo, Manila, on November 5, 2019, and they were detained at the Manila City Jail
The Manila City Jail, popularly known as Old Bilibid Prison, is a detention center in Manila, Philippines. The jail is one of the most overcrowded in the world.
History
19th and 20th centuries
The Old Bilibid Prison, then known as (Spa ...
for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, a non-bailable offense. After the court gave the detainee only six hours of furlough (three hours for the wake and another three hours for the burial) to allow her to visit her daughter's wake, a funeral for the baby River was laid on October 14, 2020, in Pandacan, Manila
Pandacan is a district in Manila, Philippines which is known in recent history for its former Pandacan oil depot which supplies the majority of oil exports in the country.
Profile
In 2000, Pandacan had a total population of close to 82,194. Th ...
and she was buried on October 16, 2020, at Manila North Cemetery
The Manila North Cemetery (Spanish: ''Cementerio del Norte'') is one of the oldest cemeteries in Metro Manila, Philippines. The cemetery is owned by and located in the City of Manila, the national capital, and is one of the largest in the metropo ...
, with the police forces being deployed at the area. The baby's death sparked sympathy while the condemnation targeted towards the treatment of Reina Nasino during the baby's funeral and burial, ranging from activists to local celebrities. A simple protest was held on October 17, 2020, to condemn the circumstances of the mother-and-daughter.
Paniqui, Tarlac, shooting incident
Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shot to death his two unarmed neighbors, Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank, in Paniqui
Paniqui, officially the Municipality of Paniqui ( ilo, Ili ti Paniqui; pag, Baley na Paniqui; tgl, Bayan ng Paniqui), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 103,0 ...
, Tarlac
Tarlac, officially the Province of Tarlac ( pam, Lalawigan ning Tarlac; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Tarlac; ilo, Probinsia ti Tarlac; tgl, Lalawigan ng Tarlac; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It ...
, on December 20, 2020, at 5:10 pm ( PST). The incident was reported to the police 20 minutes later and, at 6:19 pm, Nuezca surrendered at the police station in Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
.[
The incident started when Nuezca went to investigate the Gregorios who were shooting a boga–an improvised bamboo cannon used as a noisemaker every December. Nuezca tried to arrest Frank, who appeared to be drunk. This led to a heated argument with Sonya, which culminated in Nuezca killing the two by shooting them at close range.] According to Police Colonel Renante Cabico, director of the Tarlac Provincial Police Office, Nuezca was "off duty" at the time of the incident. The police called the incident an "isolated case."
The incident was captured on video and spread online. Several netizens and celebrities condemned the killings on social media with the hashtags #StopTheKillingsPH, #EndPoliceBrutality, #PulisAngTerorista, and #JusticeForSonyaGregorio dominating on Twitter in the Philippines, as well as in Singapore and Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
. Some critics also pointed at the government over the acts of impunity
Impunity is avoidance of punishment, loss, or other negative consequences for an action. In the international law of human rights, impunity is failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a d ...
and human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
abuses in recent years.
An indignation rally was done by numerous groups on December 21, 2020, at the Boy Scout Circle, Quezon City.
Burial of Ferdinand Marcos
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Duterte supported the burial of late President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB, , ) is a national cemetery within Fort Andres Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) in Metro Manila, Philippines.
First established in May 1947 as a fitting resting place for Philippine military personnel fro ...
in Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
. On November 8, 2016, the Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
permitted Marcos' burial in a 9–5–1 vote. Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on November 18.
Phasing out of jeepneys
Jeepney
Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...
drivers staged a series of protest and strike action
Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike, or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to Labor (economics), work. A strike usually takes place in response to grievance (labour), employee grievance ...
s nationwide to oppose the government's plan to phase out old and dilapidated jeepneys. On October 18, 2017, Duterte taunted the protesting drivers, daring them to quit and "suffer in poverty and hunger" if they cannot modernize their old jeepneys. However, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (Abbreviation: LTFRB; Filipino: ''Lupon sa Pagpaprangkisa at Regulasyon ng Transportasyong-Lupa'') is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines under the Department of Transportation ( ...
(LTFRB) chair Martin Delgra explained the next day that Duterte's call was only his "expression of urgency." Its proposal of jeepney modernization will affect 240,000 jeepneys and 80,000 UV Express.
In January 2018, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) began apprehending dilapidated and smoke-belching jeepneys in an operation called "''Tanggal Usok, Tanggal Bulok''". This made getting a ride home difficult for commuters, especially students.["Bandila: Mga pasahero, walang masakyan dahil sa pagtatanggal ng bulok na PUV"](_blank)
(in Tagalog). ABS-CBN News
ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
— via YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
.
Interviews at 0:25-35.
Student 1: ''"Medyo, mahirap talaga tapos sumakay talaga."''
Student 2: ''"..., pasehero yung naapektuhan, at syempre pati yung gadrivers."''
Student 3: ''"Masyado... Konti yung kasi mga jeep."'' Commuters expressed on social media their frustration getting stranded due to the apprehension of jeepneys.
The total phaseout of jeepneys was set to be implemented on July 1, 2020, only to be extended to December 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, and further extended to March 31, 2021. The LTFRB has stated that jeepney operators who have failed to consolidate their fleets for the modernization program by the March 2021 deadline will be allowed to temporarily operate under a provisional authority for a 1-year period.
Declaration of martial law in Mindanao and the subsequent extension
Duterte declared martial law in the whole Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
on May 23, 2017, following the crisis in Marawi between Philippine government
The Government of the Philippines ( fil, Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas) has three interdependent branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Philippines is governed as a unitary state under a presidential representative and d ...
security forces
Security forces are statutory organizations with internal security mandates. In the legal context of several nations, the term has variously denoted police and military units working in concert, or the role of military and paramilitary forces (s ...
and militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a State (polity), state that has a form of government based on sharia, Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical Polity, polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a t ...
(ISIL), including the Maute and Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; ar, جماعة أبو سياف; ', ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, is a Jihadist militant and pirate group that follows the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It is based i ...
Salafi jihadist
Salafi jihadism or jihadist-Salafism is a transnational, hybrid religious-political ideology based on the Sunni sect of Islamism, seeking to establish a global caliphate, characterized by the advocacy for "physical" (military) jihadist and Sa ...
groups. Martial law was extended three times.[
]
Proposed revolutionary government
In October 2017, Duterte said that he would declare a revolutionary government against the supposed conspirator of destabilizing the government made by the communist rebels, Liberals and other factions. He said to the media that "Pag ang'' (if the) ''destablization ninyo patagilid na at medyo magulo na'' (would be shaky and more trouble), I will not hesitate to declare a revolutionary government until the end of my term."[ The next month, he clarified that he would only declare a revolutionary government if "things go out of control." Should the revolutionary government declared, "he would order the security forces to arrest all destabilizers and go on a full-scale war against communist rebels."]
On the last week of August 2020, several Duterte supporters revived the calls for revolutionary government amid the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. President Duterte himself denied the involvement of pushing the revolutionary government.
Planned revocation of Rappler
On January 11, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines (SEC) revoked Rappler
Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journalists ...
's certificate of incorporation over Rappler's use of Philippine Depository Receipts (PDRs). It said that the provisions of the PDR issued to Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a self-styled "philanthropic investment firm," composed of a foundation and an impact investment firm. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, Omidyar Network has committed over $1.5billion to n ...
by Rappler gave the American investment firm control over the local media firms' other PDR holders as well as its corporate policies, which the SEC says is a violation of the Constitution's provisions on foreign ownership and control. Rappler claimed that it was 100% Filipino owned and that Omidyar only invests in the media firm. Despite the certificate revocation, SEC stated that Rappler could still operate since their decision was not final, pointing out that the media firm could also challenge the decision before the Court of Appeals within 15 days. Malacañang Palace also suggested that Rappler authors can still continue to publish on their website as bloggers. On February 28, Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a self-styled "philanthropic investment firm," composed of a foundation and an impact investment firm. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, Omidyar Network has committed over $1.5billion to n ...
donated its Rappler PDRs to the editors and executives of Rappler.
On February 13, 2019, Rappler
Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journalists ...
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
Maria Ressa
Maria Angelita Ressa (, born Maria Angelita Delfin Aycardo on October 2, 1963) is a Filipino and American journalist. She is the co-founder and CEO of Rappler. She previously spent nearly two decades working as a lead investigative reporter in S ...
was arrested by National Bureau Investigation (NBI) for cyber libel upon the orders of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46, "alleged that her right to due process was violated." Ressa is known for her criticism against Duterte's war on drugs. The arrest of Ressa sparked condemnations from the international journalists and local groups, who slammed the Duterte administration by saying that the action is "clearly part of the administration's attack on press freedom." Duterte denied his involvement of her arrest.
Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN law) and the subsequent inflation
Duterte signed the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, also known as TRAIN law, on December 19, 2017, that lowers personal income taxes while increases the price of fuel, cars, coal and sugar-sweetened drinks. In the first half of 2018, several groups staged the protests against TRAIN LAW, which the group blamed it for increasing basic goods and oil prices. TRAIN law also had the impact to the store owners due to increasing prices.[(0:01–0:14) Umaaray ang mga may-ari ng sari-sari store. Apektado na kasi ng pagmamahal ng bilihin ang kanilang negosyo. Bukod sa malaking puhunang pambili sa paninda gaya ng softdrinks at matatamis na inumin, tumumal din ang benta nito. / (0:44) Umento sa sahod naman ang hiling ng minimum wage earners dahil sa kaliwa't kanan pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin. / (1:22) Naglunsad naman ang Stop Train Coalition ng kampanya para makakalap ng isang milyong pirma sa hiling na ibasura ang tax reform law. ]
"Bandila: Ilang negosyante, umaaray sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin"
/ref> On May 24, 2018, a coalition called "Stop Train Coalition" launched the signature that needed at least a million signatures to junk the TRAIN law.[
]
Charter Change
Constitutional reform in the Philippines, also known as Charter Change (colloquially ''Cha-Cha''), refers to the political and legal processes needed to amend the current 1987 Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'', Spanish: ''Constitución de la República de Filipinas'') is the constitution or the supreme law of the Republic of the Philippines ...
. Under the common interpretation of the Constitution, amendments can be proposed by one of three methods: a People's Initiative
People's Initiative (or "PI") is a common appellative in the Philippines that refers to either a mode for constitutional amendment provided by the 1987 Philippine Constitution or to the act of pushing an initiative (national or local) allowed b ...
, a Constituent Assembly
A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
or a Constitutional Convention.
Efforts to attempt to amend the 1987 Constitution have been done since the administrations of Ramos
Ramos is a surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin that means "bouquets" or "branches". Notable people with the surname include:
* Adrián Ramos (born 1986), Colombian footballer
* Aldrech Ramos (born 1988), Filipino basketball player
* Aleja ...
, Estrada Estrada is a Spanish surname and Portuguese term. Notable people with the surname include:
* Armando Estrada, actually Hazem Ali, professional wrestler
* Arturo Estrada Hernández, Mexican painter
*Carla Estrada, Mexican producer
*Chuck Estrada, Am ...
, and Arroyo. The Duterte administration made similar attempts in early 2018 but the proposed charter bill failed to pass in the Senate. In early January 2021, the discussion about charter change was revived.
Employment issues
Several militant groups have mainly concerned over the contractualization being applied to the workers in the country. Contractualization defines "a practice where a company hires contractual workers only when is necessary" while "endo" (end of contract) "refers to the scheme that corrupt companies exercise to abuse their workers." The above-mentioned was heavily opposed by the labor groups as they urged Duterte to sign executive order (EO) that will regulate contractualization. According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
Herminio "Harry" Lopez Roque Jr. (; born October 21, 1966) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and former law professor. He served as the presidential spokesperson of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2017 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2021. He was the p ...
, the EO will be possibly signed on May 1, Labor Day. However, on April 19, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III confirmed that there will be no longer an executive order, and, instead, the Congress will be the one to pass it.
Removal of Sereno by the Supreme Court
Demonstrations staged by the supporters of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno
Maria Lourdes "Meilou" Aranal Sereno (; born Maria Lourdes Punzalan Aranal; July 2, 1960) is a Filipina lawyer and judge who served as de facto chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2012 until her removal in 2018.
Appoin ...
occurred, following her impeachment process filed against her and her subsequent indefinite leave. The main reasons for the impeachment proceedings, according to the complainant, lawyer Larry Gadon, was that Sereno allegedly failed to declare her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth
A Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) is an annual document that all government workers in the Philippines, whether regular or temporary, must complete and submit attesting under oath to their total assets and liabilities, inc ...
(SALN) and was also responsible for tax misdeclarations and unauthorized expenses.
Shootings of Marcelito Paez, Mark Ventura, and Richmond Nilo
On December 4, 2017, Marcelito Paez was killed by unidentified assailant while driving his Toyota Innova
The Toyota Innova is a car manufactured by the Japanese carmaker Toyota since 2004. It is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) or minivan and mainly sold with three-row seating. Its official name in Indonesia is Toyota Kijang Innova, while for other c ...
in Jaen-Zaragoza Road in Jaen, Nueva Ecija
Jaen, officially the Municipality of Jaen ( tl, Bayan ng Jaen), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 79,189 people.
History
During the Spanish Era, the muni ...
. Human rights organization Karapatan
Karapatan Alliance Philippines (commonly shortened to Karapatan, which translates to ''rights'' in Filipino) is a left-wing non-governmental organization and human rights alliance that conducts research and advocacy of human rights campaigns as ...
condemned the killing of Paez. Before his death, Paez helped for the release of the political prisoner Rommel Tucay, who was detained in Cagayan jail.
On April 29, 2018, a 37-year-old priest Mark Ventura was shot dead by riding-in-tandem assailants after saying Sunday mass in Gattaran, Cagayan
Gattaran, officially the Municipality of Gattaran ( ibg, Ili nat Gattaran; ilo, Ili ti Gattaran; tl, Bayan ng Gattaran), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 5 ...
. Authorities said that Ventura was blessing the children and talking to the choir members when the assailants shot him. The CBCP, Senator Francis Pangilinan
Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008.
A ...
, and Anakbayan
Anakbayan (; abbreviated as AB) is a comprehensive, militant Left-wing politics, left-wing youth-led national democratic mass organization in the Philippines. It is part of the broader Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, a multisectorial alliance of Left ...
condemned the murder of Ventura, with Anakbayan calling it "fascistic, tyrannical
A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to rep ...
, and mafia-style rule" by the Duterte administration. On May 1, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle
Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle ( ; ; born June 21, 1957) is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church currently serving as the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization (formerly the Congregation for the Evangeli ...
denounced the killing, saying in Tagalog, "Isn't he a gift from God? Is it that easy now to kill and throw a person away?" On May 3, the Ventura's family and the Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley ( ilo, Tanap ti Cagayan; fil, Lambak ng Cagayan), is an administrative region in the Philippines, located in the northeastern section of Luzon Island. It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nue ...
police announced a P300,000 reward for information on the suspected killers.
On June 10, a priest, Richmond Nilo of the Diocese of Cabanatuan, was gunned down by unknown assailants as he was preparing for evening mass at a small chapel in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija
Zaragoza, officially the Municipality of Zaragoza ( tl, Bayan ng Zaragoza), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,090 people.
The municipality derived its ...
on June 10, 2018, at 6:05 pm. Following the murder, the Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
said that they tagged at least five suspects in connection with the killing of Nilo. One of the suspects linked to the murder, Adell Roll Milan—an altar boy at the church,[ was arrested by the police on June 14.] PNP chief Oscar Albayalde identified him as a resident of Barangy Malapit, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
San Isidro, officially the Municipality of San Isidro,( tgl, Bayan ng San Isidro), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,372 people.
The municipality is bo ...
. The police retrieved surveillance cameras; one showing the two men riding in the motorcycle in a road near the chapel moments before the crime, and another one showing a third suspect who served as lookout while two others were seen in a getaway vehicle. Another CCTV footage, timestamped 5:09 pm, shows Milan is seen riding his motorcycle outside T. Ador Dionisio National High School, roughly from the church. However, Elena Matias, grandmother of Milan, during the interview with Rappler, said that the police (wearing only civilian clothes) wrongly arrested him as they did not introduce themselves, and did not present any warrant of arrest. The distance between Milan's house and the small chapel is just at least 25 kilometers away. Matias also said that neither she nor her grandson had knowledge of the killing.
Larry Gadon, Milan's lawyer, believes that he is a fall guy
Fall guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party.
Origin
The origin of the term "fall guy" is unknown and contentious. Many sources place ...
. Milan's childhood friend, Nelson John Oreo, claimed that he was with Milan 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the day when the priest was killed.
Several members from religious sectors, such as CBCP, and opposition politicians, have directly pointed the finger at Duterte, who is known for his attacks against the church—whom are critical of the administration.
Another alleged perpetrator of Nilo's murder identified as Omar Mallari, who was arrested by the police on July 2. According to the police, they traced Mallari's whereabouts using the plate number of vehicle which was caught in a CCTV footage when Nilo was killed. Aside from Mallari, they also apprehended the suspect Manuel Torres, while two other suspects, Rolando Garcia and Marius Albis Torres, surrendered. However, some of the suspects remain at large.
The police said that, in their affidavits, Mallari and Garcia said that they were paid by Torres a P100,000 to kill the priest. On October 5, another suspect named Bernie Limpio, 36, was arrested during the nighttime buy-bust operation in Maddela, Quirino
Maddela, officially the Municipality of Maddela ( ilo, Ili ti Maddela; tl, Bayan ng Maddela), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Quirino, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,943 people.
Maddela is th ...
. During the investigation by the police, they found out that Limpio has an arrest warrant for the Nilo case.
''Oplan Tambay''
In mid-June 2018, Duterte launched the ''Oplan Tambay'' campaign against loiterers ( tl, tambays) who violate city ordinances against smoking in public places, drinking liquor on the streets, and going shirtless in public. Within the first week of the campaign, at least 8,000 residents had either been accosted or apprehended for violating the rules. By July 29, 2018, the police had arrested 78,359 loiterers in Metro Manila alone.
However, this campaign stirred controversy, notably the case of Genesis "Tisoy" Argoncillo who was allegedly killed by fellow detainees inside the Novaliches Police Station on June 19 after spending 4-days in the detention.
Peasants and activists death/killing
Farmer protesters are among of the opposition figures due to their claim that the military has allegedly killed farmers under the Duterte administration. According to peasant group Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, 213 farmers have been killed under the Duterte regime as of July 2019. The killing of farmers gained national attention when, on October 20, 2018, armed gunmen killed nine farmers inside the sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
plantation in Sagay, Negros Occidental
Sagay, officially the City of Sagay ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Sagay; ceb, Dakbayan sa Sagay; fil, Lungsod ng Sagay), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
. Initially, the police stated that the New People's Army
The New People's Army ( fil, Bagong Hukbong Bayan), abbreviated NPA or BHB, is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), based primarily in the Philippine countryside. It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aimi ...
may be "behind" the massacre. However, opposition groups said that the Duterte administration and the military "should be held responsible" for the killings, and another group also condemned Duterte for the killings.
Farmers and other groups protested the continued killing of farmers under Duterte on the anniversary of the 1987 Mendiola massacre that occurred during the Corazon Aquino administration.
The Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
recorded at least 13 activists who have been killed since Duterte became president as of August 17, 2020. Notable activists who were killed or have died during the Duterte administration include Joseph Canlas – who was arrested on March 30, 2021, for allegedly possessing illegal firearms and explosives and subsequently died from COVID-19 complications on May 11, 2021, the 3-month old daughter of Reina Mae Nasino on October 10, 2020,[ Randy Echanis – who was tortured and killed inside his home in Quezon City on August 10, 2020, ]Zara Alvarez
Zara Alvarez (25 March 1981 – 17 August 2020) was a Filipina human rights advocate, educator, paralegal, and prominent social activist who predominantly campaigned against human rights violations during the administration of Rodrigo Duterte. S ...
– who was killed in Bacolod
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
on August 17, 2020, Jevilyn Cullamat (daughter of Bayan Muna Representative Eufemia Cullamat), and the nine activists killed during what was called the "Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday may refer to:
Historical events Canada
* Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
* Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence aga ...
" police raids on March 7, 2021, in Calabarzon
Calabarzon (), formally known as the Southern Tagalog Mainland, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IV-A. The region comprises five provinces: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal; and one highly urban ...
.
Lowering of the age of criminal responsibility
On January 21, 2019, the House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
committee bill was issued, stating that the age of criminal responsibility
The age of criminal responsibility is the age below which a child is deemed incapable of having committed a criminal offence. In legal terms, it is referred to as a defence/defense of infancy, which is a form of defense known as an excuse so tha ...
will be lowered from 15 to nine years of age. However, it was opposed by some advocates including UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
and Save the Children
The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic ...
, local politicians, artists, and celebrities who used the hashtag #ChildrenNotCriminals as the condemnation. Prior to this, it had been planned by congressmen, which was then echoed by President Duterte, to lower the age of criminal responsibility in 2016.
Government action to the South China Sea territorial disputes
The incident at the Reed Bank occurred on June 9, 2019, when a Chinese vessel rammed the Philippine fishing boat, ''F/B Gem-Ver'', which carried 22 fishermen, causing the latter to sink. All of the fishermen were rescued by the Philippine Navy.[ Several days after incident, Duterte was kept silent about the incident until June 17 when he eventually made a statement, saying that the incident was just the "maritime incident."] Because of this, it generated public controversy and several militant groups including the fishermen's relatives have desired to impeach Duterte for allowing "China to fish in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea."
In April 2021, the discussions over the issue on South China Sea dispute
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea involve conflicting island and maritime claims in the region by several sovereign states, namely Brunei, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan (Republic of China/ROC), Indonesia, Malaysia, Ph ...
were revived. Initially, on his 2016 presidential campaign, Duterte vows to "ride a jetski
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft (PWC) manufactured by Kawasaki, a Japanese company. The term is often used generically to refer to any type of personal watercraft used mainly for recreation, and it is also used as a verb to ...
" and "plant" the Philippine flag at the airport built by China in the Spratlys" but in 2017, Duterte said that he would no longer plant the Philippine flag in the Spratly out of respect for China. In July 2016, after Duterte was elected, an arbitral tribunal ruled in The Hague, Netherlands that China's claim to almost the entire South China Sea, of which the West Philippine Sea is part of, was unfounded. On May 9, 2021, Duterte revealed that he was only joking and called those who believed in it "stupid." This triggered criticism from the fishermen and on Twitter, trending the hashtag #DuterteDuwag (#DuterteCoward). The issue was criticized throughout by retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio
Antonio Tirol Carpio (; born October 26, 1949) is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was sworn in as member of the High Court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 26, 2001, and served until his ret ...
. Senator Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
also joined to criticize Duterte personally, stating that the latter must fulfill his promise to "ride a jetski" and flag the country's flag there.
Good conduct time allowance controversy
In August 2019, the news reports of impending release of former Calauan, Laguna
Calauan (), officially the Municipality of Calauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Calauan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. The municipality has a land area of 25.25 square miles which constitutes 3.41% of Laguna's total a ...
mayor Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to:
Sports
* Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés''
* Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer
* Antonio Sánchez (footballer, ...
, who was the prime suspect of murders of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez
The murders of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez occurred on June 28, 1993 in Calauan, Calauan, Laguna, Philippines. The case involved police personnel and the late Antonio Sanchez (politician), Antonio Sanchez, the former mayor of Calauan, Lagu ...
in 1993 and was convicted in March 1995, was met by outrage across the country. After weeks of controversy, the Duterte administration denied the role in releasing of Sanchez and ordered Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
Menardo "Boy" Ilasco Guevarra (born May 23, 1954) is a Filipino lawyer and public servant who is the incumbent Solicitor General of the Philippines under the Marcos administration since 2022. He previously served as the Secretary of Justice an ...
and Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon
Nicanor Escalona Faeldon (; born July 29, 1965) is a Filipino former Marine who served as the Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections under the Duterte administration from November 21, 2018, until he was fired in September 2019. He serv ...
not to release him. Sanchez remained in prison until his death on March 27, 2021.
The GCTA controversy sparked again in September 2020 when Duterte granted an absolute pardon to Joseph Scott Pemberton, which was justified by his spokesman Harry Roque, who was once a legal counsel for the Laude family. Pemberton killed trans woman
A trans woman or a transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity, may experience gender dysphoria, and may transition; this process commonly includes hormone replacement therapy and so ...
Jennifer Laude inside the Olongapo
Olongapo, officially the City of Olongapo ( fil, Lungsod ng Olongapo; ilo, Siudad ti Olongapo; xsb, Siyodad nin Olongapo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Located in the province of Zambales ...
motel in October 2014. On December 1, 2015, Pemberton was convicted of murder, sentenced him to 6 to 12 years in jail. The pardon, which was condemned by the Laude family, sparked outrage in the LGBT community
The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay men, gay, bisexuality, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a comm ...
, as well as high-profile personalities from senators to celebrities. The hashtag #JusticeForJenniferLaude landed on the top trending spot in social media, where majority of the posts were critical of Duterte. On September 11, 2020, several LGBT communities held a rally to protest Duterte's absolute of pardon of Joseph Scott Pemberton.
Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the first case of SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had a ...
infection in the Philippines was confirmed on 30 January. The patient was a 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan
Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...
, who had arrived in Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
from Hong Kong on 21 January. This triggered social media outrage. The hashtag #OustDuterte trended on Twitter, where some groups blamed the government for "criminal negligence" for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 in the country and the "lack of action" to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
The government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was criticized on social media platforms, especially on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
: for instance, the NBI's attempt to investigate Pasig
Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people.
It is located along the ...
Mayor Vico Sotto
Victor Ma. Regis "Vico" Nubla Sotto (; born June 17, 1989) is a Filipino politician serving as the incumbent mayor of Pasig. Sotto first entered politics when he ran for a seat on the Pasig City Council in 2016. He won the election as an indep ...
for allegedly violating the quarantine policy, the arrest in Quezon City on April 1, 2020, of 20 protesters looking for aid from the local government, Duterte's remarks of ordering to "shoot" the person who violated the quarantine protocols on April 2, 2020, the shooting of Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) ( Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
veteran Winston Ragos by the police at a checkpoint on April 21, 2020, and the controversial birthday party of National Capital Region Police Office Regional Director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas
Debold Menorias Sinas (born May 8, 1965) is a Filipino retired police general who served as Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from November 2020 to May 2021. During his tenure, he oversaw the COVID-19 community quarantines in the Ph ...
on May 8, 2020, despite the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) being implemented at the time. The delay in the arrival in the Philippines of vaccines has also been condemned.
ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy, shutdown and franchise denial
The shutdown of ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...
, the Philippines' largest and leading television network, was met with massive criticism and outcry among local celebrities and television viewers, as well as politicians and militant groups. The franchise controversy mainly focuses on the disputes between the Duterte administration and ABS-CBN, which Duterte has criticized for their "alleged biased and unfavorable news coverage" against Duterte, beginning with his presidential campaign in the 2016 Philippine presidential election
The 2016 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on Monday, May 9, 2016, as part of the 2016 general election. This was the 16th direct presidential election in the Philippines since 1935 and the fifth sextennial pre ...
. Duterte voiced his opposition to the network's renewal of congressional franchise, stating that "I will see to it that you're out." After the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Solicitor General Jose Calida
Jose Callangan Calida (born July 7, 1950) is a Filipino lawyer. He previously served as Undersecretary of Justice under the Arroyo administration, as executive director of the Dangerous Drugs Board, as Solicitor General of the Philippines under ...
issued a cease and desist order
A cease and desist letter is a document sent to an individual or business to stop alleged illegal activity. The phrase "cease and desist" is a legal doublet, made up of two near-synonyms. The letter may warn that, if the recipient does not dis ...
against ABS-CBN, the network effectively ceased broadcasting on May 5, 2020.
Congressional hearings for the new franchise began on May 26, 2020. On June 30, the NTC and Calida issued two alias cease and desist orders (ACDO) demanding ABS-CBN TV Plus
ABS-CBN TV Plus (formerly Sky TV+ and stylized as ABS-CBN TVplus, repackaged in 2021 as ABS-CBN TVplus Digital TV Receiver) is a Philippine ISDB-T encrypted digital terrestrial television provider owned and operated by ABS-CBN Convergence, a ...
(and all of its digital channels like Yey!
Yey! (stylized as YeY! or YEY!) was a Philippine children's pay television channel
A television channel is a terrestrial frequency or virtual number over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in ...
and Asianovela Channel
Asianovela Channel was a Philippine defunct pay television channel created by ABS-CBN and one of the former freemium channels of ABS-CBN TVplus. The channel aired Filipino-dubbed Korean dramas and Asian films, along with limited imported prog ...
) and Sky Direct
Sky Direct was a direct-broadcast satellite subscription television service in the Philippines owned and operated by Sky, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN. Sky Cable had been eyeing for a DBS service and considered on acquiring Dream Satellite TV from Ant ...
to immediately cease all of its operations. On July 10, members of the House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, particularly the Committee on Legislative Franchises, voted 70–11 to reject the franchise application of ABS-CBN citing political reasons and several issues on the network's franchise. In response, supporters, employees, and personalities of ABS-CBN held a noise barrage in solidarity with the network since July 13, 2020.
Anti-Terrorism Act
On June 3, 2020, the House of Representatives approved the HB No. 6875 or known as Anti-Terrorism Act. The bill was certified as "urgent" by President Rodrigo Duterte and the aim of passage of the bill is to response to the threat in the country. On the bill, it states that "any law enforcer to arrest and detain without warrant 'a person suspected of committing any of the acts' punishable under the measure for 14 calendar days, extendable by 10 days and "the suspected 'terrorist' can also be placed under surveillance for 60 days, extendable by up to 30 more days, by the police or the military."
However, it was met by massive criticism among politicians, religious organizations, and as well as celebrities: Catholic and Protestant organizations condemned the anti-terror law, stating that "we believe that the anti-terrorism bill will insidiously strip away respect for human rights and other civil liberties". Several lawmakers from Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
expressed their alarm over the bill, saying that the bill will only incite violence, instead of ending the terrorism. The Commission of Human Rights (CHR) also expressed concerns over the bill. Vice President Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
questioned the timing of the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.[ Various groups held a rally to protest the bill on June 3 and 4, citing that the government will use it to harass, abduct, and silence the critics of the Duterte administration and also arresting the citizens without the warrant.][ (0:13-) Tingin nila, gagamitin na ng gobyerno para gipitin, damputin, at patahimikin ang mga kritiko ng Duterte administration.] Outside the Philippines, American singer Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
expressed her opposition to the bill through her Instagram story. Swedish environmental activist teenager Greta Thunberg
Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (; born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish environmental activist who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation.
Thunberg's activism began when she persuaded ...
also joined the petition against anti-terrorism law.
Red-tagging
Red-tagging refers to the malicious blacklisting
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
of individuals or organizations critical or not fully supportive of the actions of a sitting government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
administration. This blacklisting takes the form of being "tagged" as either a Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
or terrorist
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
or both, regardless of one's actual political beliefs or group affiliations. Such blacklisting is a form of incitement
In criminal law, incitement is the encouragement of another person to commit a crime. Depending on the jurisdiction, some or all types of incitement may be illegal. Where illegal, it is known as an inchoate offense, where harm is intended but m ...
and has pernicious effects on its targets.
The red-tagging, under the Duterte administration, came into light in October 2020 when local celebrities Angel Locsin
Angelica Locsin Colmenares (born April 23, 1985) is a Filipino actress and humanitarian. She is known for her dramatic roles and portrayals of heroines and mythological characters in film and television. She is a recipient of various accolades ...
, Liza Soberano
Hope Elizabeth Soberano( , ; born January 4, 1998), professionally known as Liza Soberano, is a Filipino actress, model and singer. She started in a range of television series and films, including ''Wansapanataym'' (2011), '' Kung Ako'y Iiwan M ...
, and Catriona Gray
Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray (; born 6 January 1994) is a Filipino-Australian model, singer, beauty queen, television personality, youth advocate and arts ambassador best known for having been crowned Miss Universe 2018. She is the fourth Fi ...
were being "red-tagged" by the military. Locsin, after merely criticizing Congress, was accused of being a terrorist and a member of the NPA. Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlarde Jr. of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) urged supporters of the government to refrain from “red tagging” actress Liza Soberano after she appeared on a webinar of GABRIELA Gabriela may refer to:
* Gabriela (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian feminine given name
* ''Gabriela'' (1942 film), a Czech film
* ''Gabriela'' (1950 film), a German film
* ''Gabriela'' (1983 film), a Brazilian film
* ''Gabriela' ...
, but appeared to have done it himself anyway. Parlarde warned her that engaging with activist groups like GABRIELA would make her end up like activist Josephine Lapira, who allegedly joined the NPA and was killed in an armed encounter with government troops. He also red-tagged several other celebrities who are vocal against the government, such as beauty queen Catriona Gray and actress Angel Locsin. Soberano's camp denounced the "red tagging" of the actress. GABRIELA, with senators Risa Hontiveros
Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel (; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician, community leader, and journalist who has been serving as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. She previously served as a party-list representa ...
and Francis Pangilinan
Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008.
A ...
defended Soberano and criticized Parlarde's "red tagging," while the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) urged the general to retract his statement and apologize to the actress.
Duterte's absence from the public eye / #NasaanAngPangulo
Duterte's absence from the public eye during the press briefings in preparation for incoming typhoons (recently typhoons Goni (Rolly) and Vamco (Ulysses)) drew uproar on social media and the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo (#WhereisthePresident) trended on Twitter. As a result, several youths staged a protest to condemn the government's lack of response to the recent calamities and also calling Duterte to step down if he did not heed the demands of the strike. Duterte defended his absence, stating that he visited his parents' grave in Davao.
Ironically, the hashtag #NasaanAngBisePresidente (''#WhereistheVicePresident'') was dominated on Twitter, asking the whereabouts of Vice President Leni Robredo during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Krovanh (Vicky) on December 19, 2020, that brought massive flooding in parts of Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
.
The hashtag trended once again on April 7, 2021, following Duterte's cancellation of his weekly national address, in which netizens aired their speculations over the president's health and whereabouts. On the same day, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte would not deliver his public address due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
Termination of 1989 UP-DND accord
The 1989 University of the Philippines–Department of National Defense accord was a bilateral agreement between the Department of National Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philippin ...
(DND) and the University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
(UP) that restricted military and police access and operations inside the university. The agreement was signed by then- UP President Jose V. Abueva and then-Defense Secretary
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...
following the arrest of Donato Continente, a staffer of ''The Philippine Collegian
The ''Philippine Collegian'' is the official weekly student publication of the University of the Philippines Diliman. It is also commonly known to the university's students as ''Kulê'' (). It is known for its radical, national democratic, often ...
'' and an alleged communist, who was arrested within the premises of the university for his involvement in the killing of US Army Col. James Nicholas Rowe on April 21, 1989. As a response, the University of the Philippines held a rally to condemn the termination of the agreement.
Other causes
Aside from above-mentioned issues, demonstrators also protested other issues such as:
* Implementation of the K–12 program
* Lack of a permanent solution for the rice crisis and the impending rice tariffication law
* Education-related issues such as public universities collecting miscellaneous and tuition fees despite the signing on August 3, 2017, of Republic Act No. 10931 mandating free education in public schools,["TV Patrol: Ilang state university, college, tinatanong kung bakit naniningil"]
(in Tagalog). ABS-CBN News
ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
— via YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
. the application for tuition hikes by private schools, and the government's "negligence" to education amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Slow response on rehabilitation of Typhoon Yolanda
Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
in Tacloban
Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban ( war, Syudad han Tacloban; fil, Lungsod ng Tacloban), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The city is autonomous from the province of Leyte, a ...
: Typhoon Haiyan, locally known in the country as "Yolanda", made landfall in the country on November 8, 2013, leaving more than 6,300 people dead. Despite the disaster happening during the Benigno Aquino III administration
The presidency of Benigno Aquino III began on June 30, 2010, when he became the List of presidents of the Philippines, 15th president of the Philippines, succeeding Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. His term ended on June 30, 2016. Aquino, the third-yo ...
, they displayed caricatures of both Aquino and Duterte, as Duterte promised in the first year of his presidency to fast-track Tacloban's rehabilitation for Yolanda survivors. Five years after the disaster, the survivors protested the government's failed rehabilitation efforts.
* Water shortages and interruptions across Metro Manila: Several households in Metro Manila suffered a major water crisis in 2019. In response to the crisis, few Kabataan members held a rally in front of the National Housing Authority (Philippines)
The National Housing Authority (NHA) is a government agency responsible for public housing in the Philippines. Established on July 31, 1975, it is organized as a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of Human Settleme ...
to demand efficient water supply. While the group held Maynilad and Manila Water responsible for the water shortage, protesters also blamed the Duterte government for allowing public services to be operated for corporate profits. Duterte would addressed the issue by threatening to terminate the contract with Manila Water and Maynilad amid the water crisis.
Protests against overseas ties with Duterte
Ties with China
Most militant groups decried the ties between President Duterte and China over the occupation of Chinese vessels and the reported harassment of Filipino fisherfolk amid territorial disputes
A territorial dispute or boundary dispute is a disagreement over the possession or control of land between two or more political entities.
Context and definitions
Territorial disputes are often related to the possession of natural resources su ...
in the South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
.
On July 12, 2018, tarpaulin banners read " WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES, PROVINCE OF CHINA" (with a Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
translation below the text) were hung on several footbridges in Metro Manila, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of winning the Philippines on its arbitration case against China. The tarpaulins were seen as a possible reference to a "joke" made by Duterte that the country can be a province of the Asian giant, five months earlier.[ Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua slammed the banners, calling it a "vicious attack" on the "independent foreign policy" pursued by Duterte. Zhao also said that the Philippines "can never be any part of China." The Philippine National Police were investigating the person behind the tarpaulins,] but the person was never known.[ Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the banners were "absurd" and were made by "enemies" of the government.] Opposition lawmakers Bayan Muna
Bayan Muna () is a party-list in the Philippines, a member of the leftist political coalition Makabayan. The motto of the party is ''"New Politics, the Politics of Change"'', against "traditional, elitist, pro-imperialist politics". Its platform i ...
Rep. Carlos Zarate and Alliance of Concerned Teachers
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) is a progressive and militant national democratic mass organization of teachers, academics, and other education workers in the Philippines, established on June 26, 1982. It is the largest non-tr ...
Rep. Antonio Tinio Antonio "Tonchi" Luansing Tinio is a Filipino activist and former member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines for ACT Teachers Partylist from the 2010 to 2019 and served as Deputy Minority Leader in the 15th congress. He also served a ...
denied that leftist groups were behind the tarpaulins.
The state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, s ...
on November 19–21, 2018, triggered protests by militant groups, who called him to "go away" in Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
.[(from 0:06) Protesters: Mr. Xi Jinping, Zǒu kāi. / Reporter:...Mandarin ang "Zǒu kāi" (走開), ibig sabihin, "lumayas ka".]
(from 0:26) Neri Colmenares
Neri Javier Colmenares (, born December 4, 1959) is a Filipino human rights lawyer and activist. He was an associate of the Asian Law Centre at Melbourne Law School when he was completing his Ph.D. in law on "The Writ of Amparo and the Internat ...
: Kino-consumate ng ... ang pagbenta ng ating soberanya. Yan talaga ngessential ng pagdalaw i Xidito. / Reporter: Giit ng mga rallyista, di dapat ipagbunyi ang pagdating ni Xi dahil pinapakita ni Pangulong Duterte ang napakalaking pagta-traidor umano niya sa bansa; naglalakihang pautang kapalit ng pagsuko sa West Philippine Sea
West Philippine Sea ( fil, Karagatang Kanlurang Pilipinas; abbreviated as WPS) is the official designation by the government of the Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The ...
.
The reason they held a protest was that the Philippines "sold" its territories to China.[
]
Ties with the United States
The United States is one of the countries critical to Philippine drug war campaign, in which then-President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
and U.S. senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
condemned and denounced the human rights abuses amid the campaign. Nevertheless, the United States Senate discussed the drug war in late 2016, noting the possibility that U.S. State Department assistance to the Philippines might be used to commit gross human rights violations. Regardless of the sitting U.S. president, most of the militant groups – particularly left-wing groups – aimed protests at the United States through placards and streamers denouncing "imperialism
Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...
" and neoliberal
Neoliberalism (also neo-liberalism) is a term used to signify the late 20th century political reappearance of 19th-century ideas associated with free-market capitalism after it fell into decline following the Second World War. A prominent fa ...
policies, with Trump-Duterte effigies displayed on some occasions. Rights groups, activists, and academics have claimed that despite the condemnation, the U.S. continues to fund the war on drugs and Duterte's anti-insurgency program. Moreover, they cite the continuation and upholding of such treaties as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is an agreement between the United States and the Philippines intended to bolster the American–Philippine alliance. The agreement allows the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines ...
(EDCA) as examples of the US breaching Philippine sovereignty. Anti-imperialist group League of Filipino Students also accused Duterte of allowing the entry of American warships and other military equipment as part of the Balikatan exercises in the country.
Amid escalating tension between Iran and the U.S. following the killing of Qasem Soleimani
Qasem Soleimani ( fa, قاسم سلیمانی, ; 11 March 19573January 2020) was an Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). From 1998 until his assassination in 2020, he was the commander of the Quds F ...
in a drone strike
Drone warfare is a form of aerial warfare using unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) or weaponized commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The United States, United Kingdom, Israel, China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, France, India, Pakista ...
conducted by the United States on January 3, 2020, the Philippine government planned to send Philippine military to the Middle East, triggering condemnation and protests by various militant groups on January 10, 2020. According protesters, this plan will put overseas Filipino workers there at risk should the Philippines ally with the U.S.
Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines
Numerous militant groups staged a series of protests from November 9 to 14, 2017, against the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit hosted by the Philippines. Their call was to ban the visit of U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, who was scheduled to attend ASEAN-related summits as a dialogue partner. According to student leader Elijah San Pedro, this was because Trump seems "to have dragged the Philippines into his war rhetorics against North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
." Atty. Aaron Pedrosa of SANLAKAS also said that the Mamasapano massacre and the war in Marawi
Marawi, officially the Islamic City of Marawi (Maranao: ''Inged a Marawi''; fil, Islamikong Lungsod ng Marawi), is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a po ...
were created by the U.S.-led War on Terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international Counterterrorism, counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campa ...
. Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights slammed the Trump administration for "'funding' the administration's war on drugs." The Philippine Coast Guard
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ( fil, Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas) is recognized as the third armed uniformed service of the country attached to the Philippines' Department of Transportation, tasked primarily with enforcing laws within Ph ...
alleged that protesters attempted to bribe fisherfolk to get them close to the United States Embassy
The United States has the second most diplomatic missions of any country in the world after Mainland China, including 166 of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, as well as observer state Vatican City and non-member countries Kosovo a ...
. A group of protesters led by Anakbayan managed to reach the gate of Philippine International Convention Center
The Philippine International Convention Center ( fil, Sentrong Pangkumbensyong Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas, or PICC) is a convention center located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. The facility ha ...
, despite tight security.
Militant group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) also staged protests against Trump.["'P15-B ASEAN summit budget should have gone to the poor' – Kadamay"](_blank)
''Rappler
Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journalists ...
''. The group said that the ($292 million) budget of the ASEAN Summit could have been used to assist the poor. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan () or Bayan is an alliance of left-wing Philippine organizations. It was founded on International Workers' Day, May 1, 1985 as part of the opposition during the Marcos dictatorship.
Politics Ideology
The princ ...
, have the Trump's effigy — with four rotating hands shaped into the swastika
The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It ...
symbol and President Rodrigo Duterte can be seen behind — burned. In addition to images of Trump, protesters also burned images of Australian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the principl ...
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is an Australian former politician and businessman who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Turnbull grad ...
, Japanese Prime Minister
The prime minister of Japan ( Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of Stat ...
Shinzō Abe
Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍 晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...
, Russian President
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
, and Chinese Premier
The premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, commonly called the premier of China and sometimes also referred to as the prime minister, is the head of government of China and leader of the State Council. The premier is ...
Li Keqiang
Li Keqiang (born 1 July 1955) is a Chinese politician who is the outgoing premier of China. An economist by profession, Li is head of China's executive branch as well as one of the leading figures behind China's Financial and Economic Affai ...
, whom protesters said are responsible for the anti-Filipino and imperialistic
Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic
...
agenda allegedly promoted by the Duterte administration.
Anti-riot police used water cannons and a sonic alarm to repel activists. Despite being fired at with water cannons, protesters continued to push forward against the blocking police. Twenty members of militant groups were reportedly injured after the clash with the police. Trump arrived in the country on November 12.
Events
Following the burial of Ferdinand Marcos
Protests against Rodrigo Duterte started when late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was buried on November 18, 2016, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB, , ) is a national cemetery within Fort Andres Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) in Metro Manila, Philippines.
First established in May 1947 as a fitting resting place for Philippine military personnel fro ...
, described by the media as a "surprise burial". Remembering the Marcos dictatorship era, thousands of protesters, including well-known personalities and politicians, staged the protests.
Protests organized by religious groups
The "Walk for Life" was a mass demonstration
A political demonstration is an action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause or people partaking in a protest against a cause of concern; it often consists of walking in a mass march formati ...
organized by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas;
bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
(CBCP) protesting proposals to reintroduce the death penalty
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
and calling for an end to killings amid the country's ongoing war on drugs. The event was first announced on late January 2017 by former CBCP President Socrates Villegas
Sócrates Buenaventura Villegas (born September 28, 1960) is a Filipino prelate, and a professed member of the Dominican Order, He is the current Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, and is the former president of the Catholic Bishops ...
. On February 18, the march gathered approximately 20,000 Filipino Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
s in Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
.
On November 5, 3,500 protesters attended a prayer rally and healing mass, dubbed as "Lord, Heal Our Land", organized by the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
on EDSA
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
to oppose the extrajudicial killings. The organizers said the event was meant to express frustration and not "destabilization." On February 24, 2018, thousands of people joined at the Quirino Grandstand
The Quirino Grandstand, formerly known as the Independence Grandstand, is a grandstand located at Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines.
History
Contrary to popular belief, the first Independence Grandstand was not originally located on the present ...
.
People Power Revolution anniversary
Demonstrators commemorated the 32nd anniversary of People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
on February 25, 2018. Several groups including students, activists, and other opponents held protests against Duterte administration actions.
On February 23, 2019, more than 1,300 supporters of the opposition gathered at the People Power Monument in White Plains to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of People Power Revolution and denounced the administration-backed senatorial candidates for 2019 including former presidential aide Bong Go
Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go (; born June 14, 1974) is a Filipino politician serving as a Senator since 2019. He previously served in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte as Special Assistant to the President and Head of the Presi ...
and former Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos
Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipina politician and former actress serving as a Senator since 2019. She is the daughter of Ferdinand Marcos and former first lady Imelda Marcos and the ol ...
.[ Opposition figures also issued statements ahead of the event.]
On February 24, about 600 people, joined by former President Benigno Aquino III and supporters of opposition senatorial candidates from Otso Diretso
Otso Diretso ( ), initially called the Oposisyon Koalisyon () was an electoral alliance formed to field candidates for the 2019 Philippine general election, in opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte. Otso Diretso fielded eight candidates (''otso' ...
, gathered at the People Power Monument,[ ''Note: Go to 0:32–0:37 for Duterte in the projector.''] where footage of Duterte's expletive speeches were projected on stage.[ In his speech, Aquino broke the silence on the ]Dengvaxia controversy
The Dengvaxia controversy () occurred in the Philippines when the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia was found to increase the risk of disease severity for some people who had received it.
A vaccination program run by the Philippine Department of Health ...
and the measles outbreak.[
On February 22, 2020, ahead of 34th anniversary, demonstrators gathered at the People Power Monument to protest how Duterte is allegedly "allowing China to breach Philippine sovereignty" and called for Duterte to resign from office. On February 24, a group of artists projected their graffiti depicting a wanted poster of Duterte on the walls of Philippine National Police. The PNP condemned the digital graffiti, stating that the People Power Revolution "makes it totally deplorable." On February 25, several people attended the event, including former Vice President ]Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III.
A hu ...
and former Senators Rene Saguisag
Renito Augusto Verceluz Saguisag (, born August 14, 1939 in Mauban, Quezon, Philippines) is a Filipino lawyer and politician. He served as a Filipino Senator from 1987 until 1992.
Early life
Rene A.V. Saguisag was born on August 14, 1939 in ...
and Serge Osmeña
Sergio "Serge" de la Rama Osmeña III (; born December 13, 1943) is a Filipino politician and legislator who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is a grandson of the 4th president of the Philippines, Sergio Osmeña. In his eighteen years in ...
. Organizers had projected fewer attendees due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
On the anniversary of the People Power Revolution in 2021, several demonstrators marched toward the People Power Monument.
Labor Day protests
On May 1, 2018, about 20,000 protesters clad in red shirts and featuring Duterte's effigies gathered at Mendiola rejecting the executive order ending the "end-of-contract scheme" (''endo'') signed by Duterte, claiming that what Duterte signed about was not the EO they had drafted. The signed EO dismayed labor groups and garnered mixed reception from various groups.
On April 30, 2019, few members of Tindig Pilipinas gathered at the headquarters of Department of Labor and Employment
The Department of Labor and Employment ( fil, Kagawaran ng Paggawa at Empleyo}, commonly abbreviated as DOLE) is one of the executive departments of the Philippine government mandated to formulate policies, implement programs and services, an ...
(DOLE) to protest the "increasing" Chinese workers in the country. On May 1, several militant groups held a rally on Labor Day, condemning the government's failure of "endo", TRAIN Law and demanding the salary increase and the minimum wage increase to Php 750.[ ''Note: Skip at 17:39 for protests and 30:15 for the 2019 senatorial candidates.'' (30:21) "Ang labor leader na si Leody de Guzman, binatikos ang mga batas na pinasa ng mga nagdaang Senador tungkol sa sahod ng mga manggagawa."] According to the Philippine National Police, about 8,000 people attended the rally.
In 2020, militants held a Labor Day protest online due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
On April 20, 2021, militant labor groups distributed at community pantries
A community fridge is a refrigerator (colloquially "fridge") located in a public space. Sometimes called freedges, they are a type of mutual aid project that enables food to be shared within a community. Some community fridges also have an asso ...
pamphlets criticizing Duterte and enticing people to join the Labor Day protest to oust the president from office. On May 1, several groups were prevented by police to reach Mendiola Street, reminding them to follow the minimum health standards amidst the implementation of Modified Enhance Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila. The groups held a rally at the Welcome Rotonda
The Welcome Rotonda, officially Mabuhay Rotonda, is a roundabout in Quezon City in the Philippines. It is located a few meters from Quezon City's border with Manila, at the intersection of E. Rodriguez, Sr. Boulevard, Mayon Avenue, Quezon Avenue, N ...
calling for wage increase and P10,000 (approximately US$207 in 2021) aid for those affected by the pandemic. Some protesters, including Bishop Broderick Pabillo, held a rally via online.
Independence Day (June 12) protests
On June 12, 2018, President Duterte's Independence Day speech in Kawit
Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit ( tgl, Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
, Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
was interrupted when 10 demonstrators chanted "''Hunyo 12, huwad na kalayaan! Duterte patalsikin, pasista biguin!''" ( "12th of June, a false independence! Duterte must be ousted, the fascist must be defeated!") Duterte remained calm and saying that "the protesters' right to express their thoughts and feelings." A demonstrator was arrested for “interrupting public order”.
Duterte's State of the Nation Address
The protests during the State of the Nation Addresses of Rodrigo Duterte were held every 4th of Monday of July.
Anniversary of the 1972 martial law declaration
On September 21, 2017, nationwide protests — also known as the "National Day of Protest" — were conducted by various groups against the government's implementation of the war on drugs and the ongoing state of martial law in the whole of Mindanao under the Duterte administration, as part of the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law in 1972 by the late President Marcos. As the day of protest approached, Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
released Duterte's Proclamation No. 319 and Memorandum Circular no. 26 on this day. A Memorandum Circular no. 26 states that government offices and public schools at all levels are suspended. Duterte said that he will not condone any means of violence which is committed by protesters. Duterte dared the communist New People's Army
The New People's Army ( fil, Bagong Hukbong Bayan), abbreviated NPA or BHB, is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), based primarily in the Philippine countryside. It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aimi ...
"to bring the protests to Manila, because he vowed not to arrest them."
Left-wing activists and opposition of Duterte accused him of abuses and authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political '' status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic vot ...
similar to that of Marcos. In Plaza Miranda
Plaza Miranda is a public square bounded by Quezon Boulevard, Hidalgo Street and Evangelista Street in Quiapo, Manila. It is the plaza which fronts the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church), one of the main churches of the City of ...
, about 500 pro-Duterte rallyists gathered in front of the Quiapo Church
The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene ( es, Basílica Menor del Nazareno Negro; fil, Basílika Menor ng Itím na Nazareno), known canonically as the Parish of Saint John the Baptist and also known as Quiapo Church ( es, Iglesia Parroquial d ...
. Pro and anti-Duterte rallyists also engaged in chant battle. A group of pro-Duterte supporters are seen elsewhere in the city, calling to stop the "destabilization," which is rumored to be made by the opposition. The protesters also adapted the Tagalog version of "Do You Hear the People Sing?
"Do You Hear the People Sing?" ("french: À la Volonté du Peuple", literally ''To the Will of the People'', in the original French version) is one of the principal and most recognisable songs from the 1980 musical ''Les Misérables''. It is sung ...
".
On September 21, 2018, nationwide protests marking the 46th anniversary of Martial Law were conducted mainly by several groups such as Youth Act Now Against Tyranny and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. The event was attended by former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, while Liberal Party members held the event by mass. Pro-Duterte supporters also held the demonstration.
On September 21, 2019, various groups staged protests commemorating the anniversary of martial law. The event was attended by martial law victims.
On its anniversary in 2020, several protesters held a rally in the streets of Metro Manila using pictures of Ferdinand Marcos as a social distance marker. On September 21, 2021, several groups holding a rally to mark the 49th anniversary of the declaration were blocked by the police from reaching their destinations such as Liwasang Bonifacio and Welcome Rotonda.
Pandi housing project protests
Militant group Kadamay (Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap) began their protests on March 8, 2017, when its members illegally occupied government housing projects in Pandi, Bulacan. The group criticized the National Housing Authority (Philippines)
The National Housing Authority (NHA) is a government agency responsible for public housing in the Philippines. Established on July 31, 1975, it is organized as a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of Human Settleme ...
and President Duterte, for not providing decent housing for poor people. Other militant groups Kilusang Mayo Uno
Kilusang Mayo Uno, or May First Labor Movement (KMU) is an independent labor center in the Philippines promoting militant unionism. It follows in the fighting tradition of the country's first trade union, the Lithographers' and Printers' Union ...
, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Makabayan, Gabriela Gabriela may refer to:
* Gabriela (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian feminine given name
* ''Gabriela'' (1942 film), a Czech film
* ''Gabriela'' (1950 film), a German film
* ''Gabriela'' (1983 film), a Brazilian film
* ''Gabriela' ...
and Anakpawis
Anakpawis is a party-list in the Philippines. The party-list is the electoral wing of the radical trade union movement Kilusang Mayo Uno and the peasant group Kilusang Mangbubukid ng Pilipinas.
Known for its radical pro-labor and peasant stand, ...
joined the protests. On March 24, Kadamay protests turned violent when they attempted to break the gate of NHA, injuring one person.[ ''Note: Go to 0:57.''] The protests ended on April 4 when Duterte announced that members of Kadamay may now live in the occupied units, as long as they do not oust police officers and soldiers who currently reside there.
In the aftermath of Pandi occupation, Kadamay gathered at the headquarters of the Office of the Ombudsman
An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
, demanding livelihood so that they can pay for the occupied houses.
Martial law in Mindanao
Following the declaration of martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017, amid the Battle of Marawi
The siege of Marawi ( fil, Pagkubkob sa Marawi), also known as the Marawi crisis (), and the Battle of Marawi (), was a five-month-long armed conflict in Marawi, Philippines, that started on May 23, 2017, between Philippine government security ...
, protests were held on Mendiola Street, calling for the revocation of the declaration. Protesters cited the increase of human rights violation cases because of the course of martial law and said martial law was not the solution to the situation happening in Mindanao. On May 29, various groups including Lumad
The Lumad are a group of Austronesian indigenous people in the southern Philippines. It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or "indigenous". The term is short for Katawhang Lumad (Literally: "indigenous people"), the autonym officially adopte ...
and Moro people
The Moro people or Bangsamoro people are the 13 Muslim-majority ethnolinguistic Austronesian groups of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan, native to the region known as the Bangsamoro (lit. ''Moro nation'' or ''Moro country''). As Muslim-majority ...
and farmers from Mindanao gathered in separate places in Metro Manila to condemn the declaration of martial law and alleged killing of innocent civilians amid the Marawi crisis.[(At 0:01-0:22) "Kinalampag ng iba't ibang grupo mula Mindanao ang Gate 2 ng Camp Aguinaldo para kondenahin ang pagdeklara ni Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte ng martial law sa Mindanao... maipahayag lang ang kanilang saloobin, lalo na sa pagkamatay ng mga inosenteng sibilyan dahil sa bakbakan." ]
"TV Patrol: Martial law, ipinrotesta ng ilang grupo"
/ref> Demonstrators from Southern Tagalog
Southern Tagalog ( fil, Timog Katagalugan, also known colloquially as ''Rehiyong Timog Tagalog''), designated as Region IV, was an administrative region in the Philippines that comprised the current regions of Calabarzon and Mimaropa, the provi ...
marched to Mendiola, and some groups gathered at the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
.[
On July 21, 2017, a Senate session on martial law extension was interrupted by eight militant groups, who were immediately arrested. At the session, the lawmakers asked about reports of human rights violations, which were denied by the ]Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
(AFP). On December 13, 2017, Congress granted Duterte's request to extend martial law with a vote of 240–27 (14–4 from the Senate, 226–23 from the House), causing another batch of protests. On December 13, 2018, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved President Duterte's request to extend martial law in Mindanao until 2019 triggering protests, whose participants were from Mindanao.
Bonifacio Day protests
On November 30, 2017, as part of Bonifacio Day
Bonifacio Day is a national holiday in the Philippines, commemorating Andrés Bonifacio, one of the country's national heroes. He was the founder and eventual ''Supremo'' of the Katipunan, a secret society that triggered the Philippine Revolut ...
celebration, a protest was held, condemning the revolutionary government threat. On the other side, around thousands of Duterte supporters gathered at Mendiola
Mendiola Street (simply known as "Mendiola") is a short thoroughfare in Manila, Philippines. The street is named after Enrique Mendiola, an educator, textbook author, and member of the first Board of Regents of the University of the Philippi ...
, urging Duterte to declare a revolutionary government. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque advised the pro-revolutionary government supporters "to conduct their rallies in a peaceful, orderly manner." Harry Roque also said that "The president has earlier said that he does not want a revolutionary government. This, however, does not mean he would prevent citizens from expressing their support for a revolutionary government."
On November 28, 2018, labor groups staged a protest in Mendiola and said they will stay until November 30, Bonifacio Day. Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer Labog said that they will not stop demonstrating until Malacañang entertains them about not only regularization and wage increase but also stopping the military presence in Mindanao amidst ongoing martial law. On November 30, 2018, demonstrators marched at Mendiola bringing the effigy of Duterte depicted as king, which was then destroyed by using shovel and dummy sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle. The long handle combined with a heavy head allows the sledgehammer to gather momentum during a swing and apply a large force compared to hammers designed t ...
.["Itinanghal bilang hari ng bilang hari ng militanteng manggagawa si Pangulong Duterte, pero hari anila
ng pagpahirap sa sambayanan. Galit na binitbit ng mga ito ang effigy ni "Haring Duterte" ang iba, hawak ang mga maso, Katipunero't Kapitupera ang asta ng mga ito. Mula España, nagmartsa sila papuntang Mendiola at pagdating doon, inupakan ang Duterte effigy." (''Duterte effigy being destroyed at 0:27-0:32'']
TV Patrol: Pagdami ng Chinese workers, isa sa isyu sa Bonifacio Day
On its anniversary of 2019, militant groups staged protests on Bonifacio Day carrying caricatures of Duterte, along with President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
and Chinese President Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, s ...
. In 2020, protests were held in the streets of Manila condemning red-tagging, anti-terror law and the death of NPA medic Jevilyn Cullamat, daughter of Bayan Muna Representative Eufemia Cullamat, who was killed in a clash in Marihatag
Marihatag, officially the Municipality of Marihatag ( Surigaonon: ''Lungsod nan Marihatag''; tl, Bayan ng Marihatag); ( Indonesian: Kotamadya Marihatag) , is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. According to ...
, Surigao del Sur
Surigao del Sur (Surigaonon language, Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Sur''; ceb, Habagatang Surigao; tl, Timog Surigao), officially the Province of Surigao del Sur, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located ...
with Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) ( Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
's 3rd Special Forces Battalion on November 28, 2020.[ Meanwhile, five protesters in Cebu were arrested.]
Revocation of Rappler
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines staged a protest, dubbed as "Black Friday Protest for Freedom," in Quezon City and other parts of the country such as Bacolod
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...
and Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...
[ on the evening of January 19, 2018, following the revocation of online news site ]Rappler
Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journalists ...
by Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...
(SEC) eight days prior. At the same time, National Bureau of Investigation issued a subpoena
A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
against CEO Maria Ressa
Maria Angelita Ressa (, born Maria Angelita Delfin Aycardo on October 2, 1963) is a Filipino and American journalist. She is the co-founder and CEO of Rappler. She previously spent nearly two decades working as a lead investigative reporter in S ...
, former reporter Reynaldo Santos, and businessman Benjamin Bitanga for violating the anti-cybercrime act. The protest was attended by 300 people wearing black T-shirts. Rappler is known to be critical of the Duterte administration. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
Herminio "Harry" Lopez Roque Jr. (; born October 21, 1966) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and former law professor. He served as the presidential spokesperson of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2017 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2021. He was the p ...
said that Duterte has no involvement in the SEC's decision. Roque said that the Friday protest "is a testament that freedom is alive and democracy is alive in the Philippines." The revocation was condemned by opposition figures such as Kadamay chairperson Gloria Arellano,[ Senators Leila de Lima][Source from CNN Philippines]
from the original). and Antonio Trillanes National Union of Journalists of the Philippines,["TV Patrol: 'Black Friday' protest at concert, isinagawa sa UP"]
(in Tagalog). ABS-CBN News
ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
— via YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
. Anakbayan,[ UP Diliman,][ and the anonymous critic from '']The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Other bloggers and journalists were also present at the protest.
''Quo warranto'' petition against Sereno
On May 11, 2018, supporters of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourders Sereno gathered at the streets near the Supreme Court after the Court voted 8–6 removing her from the high court. A number of politicians expressed condemnation of the ousting. A prayer rally and protest was conducted in Bacolod, Katipunan Ave, Quezon City, displaying a makeshift coffin that, according to the protesters, symbolizes and mourns the "death of democracy" and the "death of judiciary."
Transport strikes
Transports groups held a series of strikes protesting the phaseout of old jeepneys on February 6 and 27, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded. As a result of protests, classes and government work were suspended. Transport groups resumed the protests on September 24 and October 14 to 16.
On September 30, transport groups held a nationwide strike, leaving around 95% of routes in Metro Manila paralyzed. The transport groups claimed success of protesting against the jeepney modernization program countering the claim of MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago that their strike was "unsuccessful".
Manila underpass vandalism
On the third week of November 2019, the Lagusnilad underpass in Metro Manila was vandalized with the messages of the protest written in a red-colored spray can
Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles. It comprises a can or bottle that contains a payload, and a propellant under pressure. When the container's valve is opened, the payload is forced out ...
., angering Manila Mayor
The City Mayor of Manila ( fil, Punong Lungsod ng Maynila, sometimes referred to as, ''Alkalde ng Maynila'') is the head of the executive branch of Manila's city government. The mayor holds office at Manila City Hall. Like all local government he ...
Isko Moreno
Francisco Moreno Domagoso (born October 24, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Isko Moreno or Isko Moreno Domagoso (), is a Filipino politician and actor who previously served as the 27th mayor of Manila from 2019 to 2022. Before heading ...
." The youth group, Panday Sining, a cultural arm of Anakbayan, took responsibility of the vandalism and apologized to the public for "inconvenience", but remains concerned over the ongoing martial law in Mindanao.
Other events
Farmer groups celebrated the 32nd anniversary of 1987 Mendiola massacre on January 22, 2019, appealing for land reform
Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultural ...
. Despite the massacre happened during the Corazon Aquino administration, most militant groups aimed at Duterte through their placards. On January 25, 2019, a prayer rally opposing the lowering of age of criminal responsibility was held on January 25, 2019, at Malate, Manila
Malate is a district of Manila, Philippines. Together with the district of Ermita, it serves as Manila's center for commerce and tourism.
Etymology
The name ''Malate'' is believed to be derived from a corruption of the Tagalog word ''maalat'' ...
.
Outside the Philippines
While the protests are mainly held within the country, there are, yet occasionally, protests being held overseas. The first known documented protests aimed directly against Duterte was held in Philippine consulate in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
on October 11, 2016, condemning the war on drugs.[ Following the shooting of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos on August 16, 2017, massive protests were held in several countries. The state visit of Duterte in ]Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
was met by the protests on September 4, 2018.
Walkouts
Several students from various universities walked out of their classes to protest the planned jeepney phaseout and ongoing martial law in the Mindanao on February 23, 2018. The hashtag #WalkOutPH reached more than 3,000 tweets and at least 2.6 million impressions on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
.
On August 20, 2019, students and staff from the University of the Philippines walked out of their classes to protest the military intervention in their campuses.
Because of the continuous clamor regarding government response on COVID-19, negligence over disaster response after Typhoon Ulysses
Typhoon Vamco, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ulysses, was a powerful and very destructive Category 4-equivalent typhoon that struck the Philippines and Vietnam. It also caused the worst flooding in Metro Manila since Typhoon Ketsana i ...
, and concerns regarding the educational situation, students from Ateneo de Manila University, on November 14, 2020, initiated an academic "Youth Strike" demanding Duterte to step down if he did not heed the demands of the strike. Many students from various universities and colleges followed, and was translated into a physical protest on November 17.
Health workers protest
On July 16, 2021, health workers held a protest in front of the headquarters of Department of Health
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...
(DOH) in Manila, where they threw tomatoes at the DOH logo on the gate. On August 30, September 1, and November 24, 2021, health workers from various hospitals in Manila held a protest at the DOH headquarters over nonpayment salary to their benefits and demanding Secretary Duque and President Duterte to resign over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
List of protest hashtags
Critics and opposition of the government use social media, especially Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, as a platform to lambast Duterte for various issues happening in the country.
Injuries and arrests
Opposition accolades
See also
General
* People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
* EDSA II
The Second EDSA Revolution, also known as the Second People Power Revolution, EDSA 2001, or EDSA II (pronounced ''EDSA Two'' or ''EDSA Dos''), was a political protest from January 17–20, 2001, which peacefully overthrew the government of Jose ...
* EDSA III
The May 1 riots, or EDSA III (pronounced as ''EDSA Three'' or ''EDSA Tres'', the Spanish word for "three"), were protests sparked by the arrest of newly deposed president Joseph Estrada of the Philippines from April 25 to May 1, 2001. The pr ...
* 2015 INC Protests
* Burial of Ferdinand Marcos
The burial of Ferdinand Marcos, a former Philippine President who ruled as a dictator for 14 years, took place on November 18, 2016, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani () in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila, Philippines. Marcos had been elected the 10t ...
* Million People March
The so-called Million People March at Luneta was the first of a series of protests in the Philippines calling for the total abolition of the Pork Barrel fund, triggered by public anger over the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Initial ...
* 2017 Venezuelan protests
The 2017 Venezuelan protests were a series of protests occurring throughout Venezuela. Protests began in January 2017 after the arrest of multiple opposition leaders and the cancellation of dialogue between the opposition and Nicolás Maduro's g ...
* 2013–2019 Nicaraguan protests
The 2014–2018 Nicaraguan protests were a series of protests against President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and actions performed by his government, the dismantling of the opposition, and violence against peaceful protesters. The protests began i ...
* Euromaidan
Euromaidan (; uk, Євромайдан, translit=Yevromaidan, lit=Euro Square, ), or the Maidan Uprising, was a wave of Political demonstration, demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protes ...
* 2017–2018 Russian protests
* 2019–20 Hong Kong protests
* 2020-2021 Thai protests
The hyphen-minus is the most commonly used type of hyphen, widely used in digital documents. It is the only character that looks like a minus sign or a dash in many character sets such as ASCII or on most keyboards, so it is also used as such. ...
* 2021 Myanmar protests
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
Protest against other presidents
* Protests against Bongbong Marcos
* Protests against Donald Trump
Protests against Donald Trump have occurred in the United States, Europe and elsewhere from his entry into the 2016 presidential campaign to his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Protests have expressed opposition to Trump ...
* Protests against Emmanuel Macron
Since Emmanuel Macron was elected President of France on 2017 French presidential election, 7 May 2017, a series of protests have been conducted by trade union activists, left-wing activists and right-wing activists in opposition to what protest ...
**Yellow vests movement
The Yellow Vests Protests or Yellow Jackets Protests or Yellow Vests Revolution (french: Mouvement des gilets jaunes, ) are a series of populist, grassroots weekly protests in France that began on 17 November 2018. At first the protestors advoc ...
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Philippine Drug War
2016 protests
2017 protests
2018 protests
2019 protests
2020 protests
2021 protests
2022 protests
History of the Philippines (1986–present)
Internet-based activism
Philippine Drug War
Political history of the Philippines
Political repression in the Philippines
Duterte administration controversies
Protests in the Philippines
Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Student protests