AS we commemorated Independence Day, the Filipino people continue to face challenges and threats to their rights and freedom as well as to the nation’s sovereignty. The relevance of this day is overshadowed by tyranny, oppression and foreign intervention.
Marking such a supposed “independence” only highlights a contrast to the hardships that Filipinos endure under the rule of President Rodrigo Duterte. Our people remain enslaved to debt, poverty, crime and corruption. Our nation is shackled by foreign control and remains a neo-colony.
Duterte not only maintains a foreign policy of aligning with and upholding US military and economic interests in the country, he additionally opened the country to Chinese imperialist interests to dominate and plunder the country’s natural resources and exploit our domestic market. Duterte offers up our country to foreign control.
Our national economy has been opened to capitalist plunder. US and Chinese intrusive agendas will further push the dissolution of patriotic protectionist policies that guard our nation’s sovereignty.
Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao and his government’s repressive campaigns against people’s organizations and social activists underscore his intended repression of those who struggle for freedom and sovereignty. The poor from urban and rural marginalized communities continue to fall victim to extrajudicial killings and other forms of state-perpetrated threats, harassment and intimidation.
Indigenous peoples, peasants and farmers, labor unionists and workers, and urban poor families who boldly oppose the militarization of their communities and workplaces have also become victims of violations of human rights. Government’s repressive campaigns against the people have resulted in greater displacement, more extra-judicial killings and violations of the people’s fundamental rights.
The people’s clamor for genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization has been answered with militarization. Political persecution of church people exposes how President Duterte intends to wield despotic power to silence people of faith who advocate for the people’s rights.
The inclusion of faith-based human rights defenders and just-peace advocates in his tirades and attacks demonstrates his intent to criminalize and demonize all forms of legitimate dissent against his tyranny and creeping dictatorship.
Duterte’s anti-people, anti-poor and anti-democratic policies must be opposed. The people must gather their collective strength and build their political power as they continue to struggle for genuine independence and democratic freedoms.
Sadly, President Duterte’s mockery of our nation’s sovereignty as well as his caustic remarks, glaring misogyny and divisive demeanor have made clear that he no longer embodies the moral authority needed to lead us.
Let this Independence Day serve to embolden our commitment to break free from foreign domination to create a genuinely prosperous, peaceful, and sovereign Philippines.--Promotion of Christian Response