Voicing collusion. Members of the Ateneo community band together voicing the ubiquitous distate on Arroyo’s case. Photo by Kat A. Mallillin

CLAMORING FOR former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be put to trial, Ateneo students, faculty and non-government organizations (NGOs) staged two noise barrages at the Ateneo Gate 2.5 last November 25 and 28.

The “Busina para Litisin si Gloria” protests were initiated by the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) with the Sanggunian, the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo (COA), the Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Ad­­vancement (Crusada) and The Assembly, along with political groups Akbayan Youth and the Change Politics Movement.

CODE-NGO met with the Ateneo protesters and sectoral groups at their office in Esteban Abada St. in Loyola Heights on November 24, in order to plan for the first protest held the next day at around 5:30 PM. About 60 people attended the first rally, while 30 attended the second.

Sanggunian President Drew Copuyoc sees the protests as a youth mobilization that can influence other students to engage themselves in the issues surrounding the former president.

“One day, we might have regrets for not leading the youth today to express their sentiments on the Arroyo issue. That’s why we’re here to lead this movement. We have to show the youth that it’s about time to care for our country,” he said.

The rallies were planned as part of a series, with the succeeding ones to be based on the developments in the case lodged with the Supreme Court. A third rally was held last December 2 by Akbayan Youth, as one of the many held at different places. Akbayan Youth Executive Committee member Gibby Gorres said that their call then was for Arroyo Supreme Court appointee Chief Justice Renato Corona to inhibit himself from the case.

Rally for justice

Organizers said they took to the streets not only to drum up awareness of the issue among students but also to show that the youth, including Ateneo students, are monitoring the issue.

“We know that a lot of people want Gloria tried. But since only those who have access to media can do it, [staging rallies] is the way [for people] to let their passion about the issue surface,” psychology professor Tina Montiel said.

Sanggunian Secretary-General Ian Agatep added, “How can we [spread] the word out, how can we say that people care? This is one way [to show] that people have a say on it. One way to show it is through noise.”

Members of the Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada), meanwhile, said that they want Arroyo to be answerable for the many controversies during her nine-year term. “The goal [of the demonstrations] really was to hold Arroyo accountable and to defend democratic institutions,” said Crusada Secretary-General Bian Villanueva.

Crusada Premier Miguel Rivera added, “We want to show Gloria, the [current] administration, and the Supreme Court, that we’ll keep watch over them. The busina is a very public way of letting people know that Ateneans can come a little bit out of the campus… We can show that we stand vigilant.”

Speaking at the November 25 rally, development studies junior Jed Llanes expressed his desire to see Arroyo prosecuted, now that electoral fraud charges have been formally filed against the Pampanga representative.

“It pains me to be here not because I am a Macapagal, but rather because I know what GMA did to the Filipino nation… We, the Macapagals, are not like her. We want the truth,” he said. He added that Arroyo tarnished the name of his great-grandfather, former president Diosdado Macapagal. Llanes’s grandmother is Arroyo’s half-sister, Cielo Macapagal-Salgado.

Crusada Coadjutor to the Premier Brian Llamanzares, the grandson of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., was also at the rally to express his desire to see the Arroyo prosecution through.

“I have not forgotten what happened in 2004,” said Llamanzares. “Finally, we’re this close to justice and we can’t let it slip away… and look at all the people who are ready to stay, ready to find justice, ready to find the truth.”

“For me, this is really heartwarming because, finally, it’s the chance for my grandpa to finally rest in peace,” he said. Poe lost the 2004 presidential race and was among those accusing Arroyo of electoral fraud.

Providing political spaces

Though there were a number of people from different student organizations, none came to represent the official stance of their respective groups. COA President Kenneth Abante said that the rallies filled a need for political spaces, and that it was a chance to break the stereotype of Ateneans as “sheltered.” He said that COA has no institutional position on the Arroyo issue, but that it was ready to help member organizations make their own stands.

“The rally wasn’t saying that GMA was guilty or innocent. It was just saying, let both sides talk and let the arguments be heard by the people, and let the Court decide,” Copuyoc said.

He added that the rallies’ purpose was to allow students to weigh in on the issue. “At least, it becomes a talking point for students… and then externally, it’s good because it sends a message to the outside community that Ateneans care and they’re trying to do their part in the arena of national politics,” he added.

Psychology sophomore Aimi Chiba said that she learned of the rally from her political science professor Arjan Aguirre. “Just seeing the reaction from all the people, you can really feel that it has a purpose, you are really making them aware of what’s happening,” she said.

Education and sense of urgency

Although two rallies were held, the protest was initially planned to be staged only once. “Initially, it was just one rally, but we saw the option for two, so two it was… It was a factor of urgency, feasibility,” Copuyoc explained. “It was [also better], in terms of number at least, to stay in Katipunan.”

Agatep added that the second rally was held to give students time to know more about the issue, especially since the oral arguments in the Supreme Court were held just the day after.

However, attendance to the second rally was visibly lower than that of the first. Copuyoc attributes this to the agreed-upon time and the preparations prior to the event.

“I think it was hard to hold a rally during activity hour, and a build-up is really needed for the students to know… The difference between the Blue Residences rally was that the build-up for [that] was good, and the awareness campaign is very important… I think that’s what was lacking now,” he said.

However, Villanueva believed that there was a sense of urgency in staging the first rally, as the proceedings of Arroyo’s case were very volatile and subject to change at any moment. “Educating the students would be fine but we really wanted to show that there is a sense of urgency, because at any time Mrs. Arroyo might escape justice and accountability,” he said.