18 February 2018 – “The Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) Australia is set to hold a protest action on Saturday, 24 February, 3pm, in front of the Philippine Consulate in Sydney on the eve of the 32nd anniversary of the EDSA uprising,” said Migrante New South Wales in a statement released by Roselle Pineda and Edwin Subijano ,convenors,
The protest action is MAT Australia’s amplification of the growing people’s movement in the Philippines against Charter Change (Cha-cha) and federalism. Legal luminaries have described the move to amend the Philippine Constitution as tyranny, Migrante said.
“Interestingly, the significance of the 1986 EDSA revolution is lost on President Duterte, who by his words and his actions has proven to be quite a dictator and a tyrant himself, and his congressional minions are doing their best to institutionalise his tyrannical rule. He has been good at emulating Marcos.”
“Indeed, a regime with a bloody human rights record and a penchant for disregarding checks and balance in government cannot be given carte blanche to fiddle with the Constitution. By all indicators, the proposals for Charter change are self-serving for incumbent officials and political dynasties and in favour powerful foreign corporations out to plunder the Philippine economy. The proposals to amend the Charter also constitute another attack on civil liberties as safeguards against abuse are also removed.
“The last few months also saw increased attacks on press freedom, the right to organize as well as the socio-economic rights of the people. Because of the tax reform law, inflation is at a 3-year high, with the worst effects yet to come for petroleum products, food products and electricity. The promise of President Duterte to end contractualization remains unfulfilled. Land reform is set aside in favor of big plantations and foreign investors. The so-called independent foreign policy of President Duterte has been exposed as a sham.
“Recent pronouncements by the President point to an escalation of attacks on the people. This includes his threats to shoot female NPA fighters in their genitals and his repeated offer of bounties for killed rebels. The Duterte regime wants to wage a bloody war against revolutionary groups and the people — disregarding international humanitarian law and closing all avenues for peace negotiations. It is an intensification state terror that aims to force the people into blind submission. In truth, the regime really wants to eliminate any and all opposition
“The Filipino people demands genuine freedom and democracy, not Charter change and tyranny.
“The Filipino people will never welcome another dictatorship. Call it federalism and Charter change if you may, but it leads to a dictatorship. It is imperative that the people denounce the fascist pronouncements and actions of the regime, which have resulted in widespread abuses nationwide. The people will continue to express their strongest opposition to another fascist dictatorship. Never again!
The Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) in Australia is an alliance of groups and individuals that aims to unite all Filipinos and freedom loving people against tyranny and for human rights.