‘TINDIG PILIPINAS’
IT will be women who will destroy President Rodrigo Duterte.
Such was the statement of Cebu women’s right advocate Tessie Fernandez during the launching of the Cebu Chapter of Tindig Pilipinas, a union of coalitions and citizens who are outraged by extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
“It should be women because all the (drug) pushers, drug users, and victims are coming from the women’s womb. And it is the women who are the continuing mechanism for human rights,” said Fernandez.
“We are all awake. I’d like to remind us kay ang atong kontra kay dili lang si Duterte. Atong kontra is ourselves (our enemy is not just Duterte but ourselves) because we have allowed death,” she said as the group sought solidarity and action against the rising number of killings committed in the country amid public apathy and indifference.
Other human rights groups who convened to answer the call for a solidarity against Duterte and his policies were Akbayan, Commission 4 Human Rights (C4HR), Magdalo, People Power Volunteers for Reforms (PPVR), Samahan sa Tuwid na Daan Laban sa Katiwalaan, Inc. (STDLK), The Silent Majority (TSM), TWIGS and Youth Resists.
“Federalism will not solve the problems of our nation as it is corruption which ails the nation,” said Barcenas.
“Mosamot nuon ang problema sa corruption kay tanan warlord ug kawatan sila maoy mo control sa nagkalain-lain nga probinsya sa nasud (The problem of corruption would only worsen because all warlords and thieves will be able to control the different provinces of the country),” Barcenas added.
“We should unite. In order for us to have a louder voice,” said Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano who was present during the event, Friday.
Alejano said that there are still those who are oppressed but are afraid to come out and express themselves.
“We cannot just sit and wait until all our freedoms are taken away from us,” said Myrfi Gonzales, convenor of C4HR.