Bigger protests planned

The so-called olive branch and offer of a “constructive dialogue” to protesters are hypocritical and meant only to divert attention from the Duterte administration’s continuing fascist attacks against human rights and antipeople neoliberal policies (“Palace extends olive branch to protesters,” 9/25/17).

The change of tune from sabotaging the Sept. 21 Luneta Park rally and threatening to use this as an excuse to declare nationwide martial law only shows how deathly afraid President Duterte is of the Filipino people’s collective action.

Instead of accepting the treacherous offers of futile dialogue by a fascist regime, now is the time to launch even bigger mass actions against the Duterte regime’s campaign of killings, human rights violations, and increasingly tyrannical rule.

Various people’s groups are already preparing for bigger protests: peasant lakbayan to the national capital, more student walkouts, ringing of church bells and assemblies to be announced by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, and local assemblies of victims of Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs are already set for the rest of the year.

VENCER CRISOSTOMO, national chair, Anakbayan, anakbayan.media@gmail.com