Edsa People Power Revolution: Prayer rally planned in Cebu

Officials of Cebu Coalition for Transparency, Accountability, Peace, and Security (TAPS) held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the prayer rally set on Feb. 25, Sunday. (Left to Right) Ruben Virtucio, Vivian Velez, Lawyer Irene Anne Caballes, and Cathy Cortes Maluya. | CDN Digital photo/Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A prayer rally is set to happen in Cebu on Sunday, Feb. 25, to commemorate the Edsa People Power Revolution.

Officials of the Cebu Coalition for Transparency, Accountability, Peace, and Security (TAPS), the lead convener of the prayer rally, said that the gathering will be held at the Kasadya sa SRP in Cebu City.

The rally’s overall chairman, Cathy Cortes Maluya, and TAPS officials led by Vivian Velez, Lawyer Irene Anne Caballes, and Ruben Virtucio spoke to the Cebu media in a press conference held on Tuesday.

They were joined by members of progressive groups like the Citizens Coalition for Transformation Movement, Professionals for Sara (ProSar nation), and the Kilusang Pagbabago.

Invited gov’t officials

Despite it being a Sunday, Caballes said they decided to hold the prayer rally to commemorate the historic Edsa People Power Revolution when “civilian authority was insisted upon.”

Caballes said they sent invitations to former President Rodrigo Duterte, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad asking for them to join the gathering on Sunday.

She added that they also invited TV host Willie Revillame to come and render song performances.

CDN Digital reached out to Mayor Rama to ask if he was coming to the prayer rally, but he is yet to send his reply as of this writing.

Moreover, Caballes said they are expecting around 20,000-30,000 people at the prayer rally, including members of various groups like Tabang Mindanao, Duterte Riders Team, Cebu Plumbers Association, and the groups where the TAPS lead conveners are part of, among others.

This early, the convenors of the prayer clarified that the gathering on Sunday will not be a  gathering against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. or an ‘anti-BBM’ prayer rally.

Instead, it will be a “pro transparency, accountability, peace, and security rally,” Caballes said.

People’s initiative

In January this year, a prayer rally was also held in Davao City to oppose the signature drive for Charter Change.

Conveners of the prayer rally on Sunday said that they will also touch on the issue in their gathering at the SRP.

Velez said she believes that the people’s initiative is “government’s initiative,” thus the need to demand for “transparency.”

READ: Cha-Cha: Cebu coalition says no to Charter Change

“Yung constitutional crisis, nakakabahala ‘yon, definitely, because instead of trinatrabaho nila ‘yung mga bills na dapat para sa bansa, nagkakaroon tuloy ng ganitong klaseng crisis,” Velez said.

Caravan

Before they gather at the SRP, group members coming from the northern part of Cebu will gather in Carmen town.  They will then join a caravan that will start near Bai Hotel at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City at 1 p.m. to the prayer rally venue at the SRP.

Those from the south, will assemble in Carcar City.

The prayer rally is set to officially start at 7 p.m.

Organizers said they will prepare 30, 000 to 50, 000 packed meals and water to make sure that the attendees won’t be left hungry.

At the same time, they gave the assurance that government funds will not be spent in the activity.

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