News Roundup 30 June 2022
Jun 30, 2022 • 5 min Read
Marcos takes oath as 17th Philippine president | PHILSTAR.COM – Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. was sworn in as the country’s 17th president, completing his clan’s comeback to political power and the presidential palace, 36 years after his father was ousted in the 1986 People Power Revolution. Marcos won the national elections in May by a landslide and with over 31 million votes. He ran on a vague platform to bring unity to Filipinos. The 64-year-old Marcos took his oath of office before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the National Museum in Manila. Before that, he went to Malacañan and met his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, whose term was marked by a bloody “drug war” and a devastating pandemic. Duterte had not endorsed Marcos but has since called on Filipinos to support the new administration. “Ako si Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. ay taimtim na nanunumpa na tutuparin ko nang buong katapan at sigasig ang aking mga tungkulin bilang pangulo ng Pilipinas at ipagtatanggol ang kanyang Konstitution, ipatutupad ang batas nito, magiging makatarunagan sa bawat tao at itatalaga ang bawat sarili sa paglilingkod sa bansa. Kasiyahan nawa ako ng Diyos,” Marcos said. (I, Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as the president of the Philippines, defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the nation. So help me God.) With Marcos as he took his oath were his wife Liza, and sons Sandro, Simon and Vincent. Sandro is congressman of Ilocos Norte, the position his father was elected to when he returned from exile abroad in 1992. The inauguration comes days after the Supreme Court junked the disqualification and cancellation of certificate of candidacy cases against Marcos. He was swept to power with the help of a massive social media campaign and with the backing of the country’s biggest political clans.
Youth activists apprehended for hanging banners on Marcos inauguration day | PHILSTAR.COM – On the morning of the inauguration of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., three youth leaders were arrested by personnel of the Philippine National Police after hanging a banner on a footbridge near the Commission on Human Rights grounds in Quezon City. Among those arrested were Akbayan Youth chairperson RJ Naguit and Benjamin Alvero and Jane Labongray of Sentro Youth, who were eventually released later in the day, according to Akbayan. It is unclear what the charges would have been as the Liwasang Diokno in the CHR grounds is considered a freedom park where no permit is needed to protest. In the days leading up to the inauguration, the PNP repeatedly vowed to exercise maximum tolerance when dealing with activists. In a statement, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition called the arrest a violation of the freedom of expression of the youth leaders. “Police charged at the contingent even after the end of the short action. The banner was forcefully torn from the participants and the three youth leaders were violently arrested and dragged towards police vehicles,” it said in a statement posted to Facebook. “Throughout the incident, the officers refused to explain why the arrest was being made and were very rough with the detained. One female participant was grabbed violently on the arm and nape despite complying with the officers.” Section 4.4a of the PNP’s Revised Operational Procedures takes after the Marcos-era BP 880 and acknowledges that “public assemblies held in freedom parks or on private property do not need a permit for the activity.” “The PNP shall not interfere with the holding of a public assembly… before conducting any dispersal operation, the PNP shall notify the concerned organizers and leaders of the public assembly,” the PNP’s guidelines also read. Philstar.com sought the Quezon City Police District for comment through its public information office but received no response after multiple attempts. “Why arrest them just for hanging a banner on the footbridge? Throwback to Marcosian Martial Law indeed,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes said in a tweet later Thursday. “After a proper dialogue with the police, [Naguit, Alvero and Labongray] have left the precinct. No case has been filed against them,” Akbayan said later Thursday.
Martial law victims to Marcos Jr.: Don’t block Freedom Memorial Museum construction | INQUIRER.NET – Victims of martial law atrocities have called on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not to block the construction of the Freedom Memorial Museum. The museum is a Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) project pursuant to Republic Act 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act. Bidding for its construction was held in 2020. The target opening of the museum is this September 23, the 50th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. “Wag lagyan ng balakid ang pagpapatayo ng Freedom Memorial Museum,” urged former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Charperson Loretta Rosales and playwright Bonifacio Ilagal after martial law victims made a pledge to continue fighting historical revisionism at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City. Rosales said what they want is not to be forgotten. Marcos Jr. formally assumed the presidency at noon Thursday. He is the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who placed the entire country under martial law in September 1972 until he was overthrown via a bloodless revolt in February 1986 amid allegations of plunder, corruption, and human rights violations. According to Rosales, it is essential “to remind the people of what the truth means – swear the truth, justice, and freedom.” She said they will now have to go down to the community to explain that calls to move on is a sign of ignorance.
