BUTUAN CITY—More than 2,500 rallyists burned an effigy of President Benigno Aquino III at the middle of a busy traffic along Montilla Blvd and J.C. Aquino Avenue in Butuan City on Wednesday morning.
The burning of the effigy caused monstrous traffic when protesters marching along the city streets suddenly stopped and converged at the middle of an intersection to the surprise of the motorists and commuters/
The rally also caused some commotion after traffic enforcers engaged the rallyists in a heated argument.
The traffic enforcers, however, were clearly outnumbered and failed to stop the rallyists.
Chanting and shouting anti-government sentiments, including asking Aquino to slow down and to shut down government offices in the Caraga region, the rallyists, composed mostly of militant groups, lumads and the urban poor, later lit Aquino’s effigy right at the middle of the traffic.
The protesters apparently held the lightning rally to coincide with the 29th EDSA Anniversary celebration today, February 25.
Militant groups such as Bayan Muna, ACT, Kabataan Party List, Gabriela, lumad group KASALO, members and officials of the Kilusang Magbubukid Sa Pilipinas (KMP Caraga Chapter), OMAN or Organisasyon sa mga Mag-uuma sa Agusan del Norte, some members of the Butuan Water Rights Alliance, Karapatan and College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) joined the march of the more than 300 lumad evacuees from Agusan del Sur who have been camping in Butuan City for six days now.
The lumads, peasants, farmers and fisherfolks, and the rural poor held a similar rally pm Feb. 23 during the 20th Caraga Anniversary celebration.
