Solidarity
with the People of the Philippines Vigil Honours Victims and Survivors of Marcos Dictatorship by Calling for Ouster of Duterte Regime 
September 21
marked the 49th anniversary of the infamous Declaration of Martial Law
by the U.S.-sponsored Ferdinand Marcos regime in the Philippines. On
September 19, a vigil was held in Toronto to remember and pay tribute
to the 3,257 people killed, more than 34,000 tortured, and 70,000
jailed during the time of Marcos. More than 60 people, including some
survivors of the Marcos dictatorship, participated in the vigil
organized by BAYAN-Canada, the alliance of progressive Filipino
organizations in Canada and their allies. Speeches,
poetry and music were featured which focused on the necessity to step
up support for the Filipino people's resistance to state violence and
terror of the U.S.-sponsored Rodrigo Duterte regime. Speakers pointed
out that since coming to power, the Duterte government has been
responsible for the extrajudicial killings of more than 30,000 people
under the pretext of his "War on Drugs" as well as 400 other people
including human rights defenders, Indigenous leaders, members of the
National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which has been engaged in
peace talks with the Philippine government, and members of the New
People's Army. Duterte's Anti-Terrorism Act 2020
and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict made up
of members of the military and police constabulary were also condemned
for carrying out a campaign of anti-communist terror against the
people. It was pointed out that tens of millions of dollars earmarked
for COVID pandemic relief have been diverted into counter-insurgency
efforts by the Philippine state under Duterte. Canada's
pretense of being a human rights defender was denounced in light of
Canada's support for the Duterte government despite the latter's human
rights record. Speakers also denounced Canada's racist and arbitrary
treatment of migrant workers in Canada, many of whom have been forced
to leave the Philippines as Overseas Foreign Workers. The
youth who made up the main force at the vigil highlighted "the
importance of remembering Martial Law victims and their sacrifices to
fight the Marcos dictatorship, as well as the importance to today fight
the tyranny and the de facto Martial Law of the Duterte administration."
This article was published in
Volume 51 Number 10 - October 10, 2021
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2021/Articles/M5101015.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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