Philippine church group continues protests, disrupting Manila
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A protest rally in front of the Philippine Senate building in Pasay City, the Philippines, on July 6, on the opening day of Vice-President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
PHOTO: EPA
- An influential religious group held a second day of protests in Manila supporting Senator Rodante Marcoleta, disrupting traffic and drawing around 3,000 participants on July 7.
- The protests come ahead of Duterte’s impeachment trial, amid political tensions between President Marcos Jr. and Vice-President Sara Duterte, raising economic risks.
- Authorities managed order with police presence and approved a permit for the second day, while President Marcos cancelled public events to monitor the situation.
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MANILA – An influential religious group continued its protest for a second day on July 7 in support of a senator allied with Vice-President Sara Duterte, again slowing traffic on Manila’s main highway.
Around 3,000 people, mostly clad in white shirts, down from more than 14,000 on July 6, are congregating at the People Power Monument along the capital’s main thoroughfare. Hundreds of anti-riot police are on the grounds to ensure order. Some buses were still blocking a road linked to the main highway where lanes are still constricted, extending the July 6 gridlock.
The rally, largely in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta who could face a plunder charge this week over campaign donations, comes days ahead of the start of Duterte’s impeachment trial in the Senate. The government has slammed the protests, warning it could hurt the economy.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a Duterte ally alongside Marcoleta, apologised on July 6 for the traffic jam. “Protests are meant to inconvenience so we would wake up to what is happening around us,” he said.
The rally adds to the ongoing political turmoil in the Philippines fuelled by the bitter feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his ally-turned-nemesis Duterte. The tensions are heightening risks for the slowing South-east Asian economy that’s also battling one of the hottest inflation rates in the region.
Marcos’ sister, Senator Imee Marcos, another Duterte supporter, also attended the rally on Tuesday evening.
The rally, which didn’t have a permit on July 6, prompted President Marcos to cancel his public engagements to monitor the situation. But he’s scheduled to go ahead with his July 1-4 state visit to Canada where he’s expected to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The local government has approved a permit for a second day of demonstrations, giving protesters until 8pm on July 7.
“We hope we will no longer experience the intentional blocking of roads by vehicles and buses to stop the traffic,” Colonel Allan Rae Co, police spokesperson, told local radio DZMM. BLOOMBERG
