MANILA, Philippines — Communist rebels in the Southern Tagalog region commemorated the 32nd anniversary of the 1986 EDSA “People Power” uprising that ousted the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and urged for a similar movement to boot out President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Melitor Glor Command of the New People’s Army said in a statement Friday, February 23, that the “bloodless revolution” of 1986 “proved that the united strength of the people could topple an utterly reactionary and lapdog regime.”
However, it added, that the victory against Marcos had bee hijacked by “reactionaries” who wrested power and “established a bogus democracy that serves only the interests of the ruling classes.”
“Sa panahon ng lumalalang krisis sa bansa sa ilalim ng pasista at nagbabadyang diktadurang rehimeng US-Duterte, kailangan muling magbuklod ng malawak na sambayanan upang ilunsad ang isang kilusang masa na kasing lawak ng EDSA People Power upang pabagsakin ang berdugo at pahirap sa masang si Duterte,” the rebel group’s statement said.
[In a time of worsening crisis under the fascist and looming dictatorial US-Duterte regime, the people need to unite again to launch a mass movement as broad as EDSA People Power to topple the murderous and oppressive Duterte],” the rebel statement said.
“Ngunit, dapat maging mapagmatyag ang sambayanan sa tangka ng mga reaksyunaryong muling agawin ang kanilang tagumpay,” it added.
[But the masses have to be vigilant against reactionary efforts to once again steal their victory.]
