Thousands join anti-pork protest in Cebu

Rappler.com

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Thousands of Cebuanos join the anti-pork coalition protest on Sunday, Sept 29 in the city's Plaza Independencia

CEBU CITY, Philippines – “Scrap the pork!”

This was the shout of at least 5,000 people who participated in an anti-pork barrel protest organized by a Cebu-based anti-pork coalition on Sunday, September 29 at the city’s Plaza Independencia.

Msgr Rommel Kintanar, the convenor of the Cebu Coalition against the Pork Barrel System, said the lawmakers who are involved in the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds should take a leave out of “delicadeza” pending a Department of Justice investigation.

“Out of delicadeza and of their conscience, they [lawmakers] should step down so that they can’t influence in the investigation,” Kintanar said.

Kintanar, who also leads the Archdiocesan Discernment Group of Cebu, told reporters that scrapping the system is not the “call of the church alone but of the people.”  

“The people are the boss. We have their mandate as public servants. We hope that they would listen and leave soon,” he added in Cebuano.

On-going fight

Organizers are planning to start a national campaign to urge Congress to scrap the provision that gives lawmakers discretionary funds.

“We want the specific law on discretionary funds to be stricken out. That’s our long term goal. We’ve done many rallies but nothing has changed. They [lawmakers] failed to fulfil their promises,” said Dr. Rowena Burden, a coalition coordinator.

She added that people should not lose hope in the fight against the abolition of pork barrel and should instead be part of the change the county needs. 

“The number one weapon of our legislators is that they are betting on the fact the people get tired [fighting against pork barrel and corruption]. We won’t stop. We are not just protesting. We want systemic change,” she added. – Rappler.com 

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