Two protesters wear masks with the faces of the late president Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, former first lady Imelda Marcos during a rally.
CDN PHOTO/MICHELLE JOY L. PADAYHAG
Sanlakas Cebu holds rally to mark Int’l Human Rights Day
Two rally participants wore masks of late president Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda as they marched together with over 200 people from Sto. Rosario Church going to Fuente Osmeña yesterday afternoon.
The protester wearing Imelda’s face mask carried a bundle of green cloth, with a face mask of President Rodrigo Duterte.
This was in celebration of the 68th International Human Rights Day by members of Cebu Citizens Assembly yesterday.
Teody Navea, secretary general of Sanlakas Cebu, said Duterte is shaping up to be a dictator.
“We would like to challenge Duterte to eliminate drugs in the country without violating human rights,” Navea told Cebu Daily News.
The militants’ group highlighted extrajudicial killings yesterday in relation to the war against drugs declared by Duterte.
Navea said killing is not the solution to the drug war.
“Most of the victims here are poor people. He (Duterte) should provide jobs to the poor so that they will not resort to any form of illegal activities like drugs. Some of them have no choice but to resort to drugs,” Navea said.
The Cebu Citizens Assembly has also expressed alarm that Duterte might declare martial law.
“While he has not officially declare martial law, what is happening right now, the killings, are like martial law,” he added.
During the march, the group militants shouted, “Never again! Never again! Never again to Martial Law!”
But they have not decided to join the call of some sectors for Duterte to step down from the presidency.
“For now, we will observe how he will keep his promise to solve the problem of drugs and poverty in the country,” he said.
The rains did not stop the protesters from their activities in Fuente Osmeña.
There were also children seen during the rally yesterday, among them 13-year-old Jelly Nazareno with her mother Gemma.