“Never be afraid to speak out for democracy.”
This was the message University Chancellor Br. Bernard Oca FSC wanted the Lasallian community to hear as he participated in a rally demanding for the drop of sedition charges against 36 respondents, which include De La Salle Philippines President Br. Armin Luistro FSC and former DLSU College of Law Dean Atty. Chel Diokno.
Held in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ) office on Padre Faura St. last August 9, neither the bad weather nor the cramped street space stopped protesters from airing out their concerns.
The sedition charges, which were originally filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, claimed that the 36 accused spread false information on the Duterte administration in an attempt to incite protest from the masses with the goal of “bringing down the President from the position” and having Vice President Leni Robredo take his place.
A question of when
Among those who protested against the case was Justine Balane, Secretary-General of Akbayan Youth. Balane accused the Duterte administration of being afraid of individuals who can alleviate the Filipino people from their hardships.
“Tatlong taon na, President Duterte, [at] wala ka pang solusyon sa panghihimasok ng Tsina, sa kahirapan, at [sa] kawalan ng trabaho,” he argued.
(It has been three years, President Duterte, and you still do not have a solution to the interference of China, poverty, and unemployment.)
He pointed out that in these times where government figures point fingers at one another to pass the blame, what the Philippines really needs is a “solusyon, hindi sedisyon.”
(Solution, not sedition.)
Lot Ortiz-Luis, a representative of the organization Every Woman, also questioned whether the government will actually address issues such as the unemployment of construction workers due to what she claimed were foreigners taking over establishments, and the alleged deaths caused by Duterte’s drug war. She stated that people are well aware of them, yet the government continues to ignore their grievances.
“Wala na bang magkakaroon nang pagiging isang mata ang ating gobyerno para makita ang ating problema? Kailan pa? Iyon ang ating katanungan,” she stated.
(Will the government ever see eye-to-eye and address these issues? The question of when is the only thing we can ask.)
‘Solution, not sedition’
Ricky Xavier, the chairman of People’s Choice Movement, also attended the rally and accused the government of disrespecting both the average Filipino’s “democratic way of life” and “Christian way of life”. Declaring that his organization is a “Catholic and Christian movement” that follows the Will of God, he maintained that he will not tolerate the Duterte administration’s constant disrespect of their faith.
With the current situation at hand, Ortiz-Luis hoped that sedition will not become the new basis for filing cases against individuals.
“Ang plano nila hindi lang sirain ang ating buhay Kristiyano kung hindi sirain din ang ating demokrasya,” Xavier told protestors.
(Their plan is not only to tarnish our Christian living but also our democracy.)
Sharing similar sentiments with Ortiz-Luis, he stressed the importance of the people’s continued mobilization, assuring that they will not falter.
Continuing the fight
Oca admitted that there have been moves by entities to try and minimize critical opinions that would sully certain agendas. Yet he also noted that, given the country’s history, the determination of the distressed and marginalized can end in the opposition’s favor.
“As long as we continue step by step, we will be able to triumph over anything that will destroy the oppressed,” he declared.
Human rights lawyer Atty. Neri Colmenares, who was also present at the DOJ hearing, stressed that the issue with repressing dissenters is that it does not just impact the 36 respondents. Instead, he argued that the case filed “is actually an attack on the Filipino people.”
Hoping for the assistance of the youth and students in general, he welcomed the idea of them uniting and protesting against certain ignominies committed in the name of law, adding that the next generation of Filipinos should not live in a society that “weaponizes the law to repress dissent.”
In addition to the concept of the law being weaponized to silence those who speak the truth, Diokno admitted that it is one of the saddening developments currently happening in the country.
Yet faced with such obstacles, he assured, “We will continue to fight for the truth; we will continue to fight for justice and for the rule of law.”
