"Malacanang Turns to Desperate Measures with the Staging of Mock-up Pro-Administration Rallies Today; Rice, Money Awaits GMA's Hakot Crowd" - KMU"

KILUSANG MAYO UNO(May First Labor Center)
TAGAPAMANDILA NG TUNAY NA UNYONISMO
No. 63 Narra St. Bgy. Claro, Proj. 3 Quezon City
Telefax 421-0768, 421-0986
kilusangmayouno@gmail.com

NEWS RELEASE
July 16, 2005

Everything about Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is fake and fabricated, including the pro-administration peace and unity rallies today at the Quirino Grandstand. It does not reflect the genuine sentiments and demands of the majority of Filipinos calling for Arroyo's resignation.

However Mrs. Arroyo tries to feign public support by mobilizing local government units (LGUs), students of AMA Computer Schools and Bro. Mike Velarde's El Shaddai members, the hard truth remains – Filipinos want Arroyo out of Malacanang ASAP," said KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog.

Labog lambasted Malacanang for its biased position towards the holding of rallies and demonstrations.

"After the successful people's rally at Ayala last July 13, Mrs. Arroyo said she will enforce the rule of law against those who want unrest in the streets. Obviously, she's referring to anti-Arroyo political forces and the mounting rallies nationwide demanding for her immediate resignation. She has no right to dismiss and belittle the people's growing clamor against her leadership. She is widely despised and unwanted because of her dishonesty, greed for power, involvement in corruption and many other brutal ways towards the people."

"While anti-riot police and other authorities are quick to block and disperse anti-Arroyo protests, the government is fully supporting pro-administration activities like the Rally for Peace and Unity today at Luneta. For the past weeks, the government disseminated taurpauline streamers with slogans like "Trabaho hindi gulo, Itigil ang destabilisasyon, sibilyang pagod, militar susugod among other slogans that aim to discredit the legitimate mounting protests against Arroyo," the labor leader said."

NCRPO Chief Vidal Querol went as far as saying that not too many people are attending anti-Arroyo rallies with his incredible and dumb crowd estimates. Some quarters from Malacanang brand 'Resign GMA' rallies as hakot or bayad (paid) rallies, but in fact, reliable information from pro-GMA ranks revealed that Malacanang, through local government officials loyal to Arroyo, shelled out millions of pesos only to convince many people to join the rallies at Luneta today.

In communities in Sampaloc, Manila, barangay captains are paid P2,000 and a sack of rice, barangay kagawads are given payment for jeepney rentals and a sack of rice while every person who will join the rally will receive P100, free lunch and snacks and free transportation."

"After putting the entire nation into deeper poverty with the weekly oil price hikes, low wages, unjust taxes and other anti-poor economic policies, Gloria is now using the poor people for her own advantage. We cannot blame those who are still blinded by her deceitful ways. Despite this, we are assured that protests aimed at unseating Arroyo will continue and intensify in the coming days. We are directing our sights to a bigger people's mobilization on July 25 as Gloria delivers her last State of the Nation Address," Labog concluded. ###