Fiery protests greet Bush
Burning US flags greeted US President George W. Bush�s eight-hour visit to the Philippines. The US imperialist flags were torched in nine major cities and town centers nationwide from the night of October 17 until October 18.
The burning of the US flags and effigies of Bush and Arroyo was the culmination of almost daily protests throughout the country this October. As a whole, over 50,000 protested the arrival of the number one terrorist.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan led the rally along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City that was attended by over 10,000 demonstrators from affiliated national-democratic organizations. Together with Rep. Satur Ocampo and Crispin Beltran of Bayan Muna, the rallyists marched towards the Batasang Pambansa Complex but were blocked by 800 anti-riot policemen two kilometers away from the Batasan. Over 11,000 police forces guarded the Batasan and Malaca�ang perimeters.
As they awaited Bush�s arrival, the demonstrators distributed copies of a statement by NDF negotiating panel senior political consultant Jose Maria Sison, who said �The imperialist master is on a rendezvous with his most servile puppet in Southeast Asia in order to exchange flatteries and celebrate their obscene relationship.�
�For the people of Iraq and other victims of US imperialism,� the demonstrators cried as they burned a hundred US flags. Three hundred protesters trampled underfoot before ripping and burning an even bigger US flag measuring seven meters wide and 14 meters long and which had the words �US imperialist No. 1 terrorist� written on it.
| The burning of the US flags and effigies of Bush and Arroyo was the culmination of almost daily protests throughout the country this October. |
Outside Metro Manila, protest actions were simultaneously launched on the eve of Bush�s visit. Up to 7,000 demonstrators led by BAYAN-Central Luzon launched a march-rally from October 17 to October 18 at the entrance of the Clark Economic Zone, the former US military base in Angeles City. They were joined by delegations from the Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions.
Despite the attempts of police to block the 2,000 members of Southern Tagalog Opposed to the Presence of Bush (STOP Bush!), they managed to reach Manila. They had started their caravan in Calamba City, Laguna as early as October 13. On the night of October 17, a protest concert was held at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
Over 15,000 launched mass actions in Bicol: 5,000 in Sorsogon City; 2,000 in Naga City; 4,500 in Masbate City; 2,000 in Legazpi City; and 400 in Daet, Camarines Norte. Over 2,000 waged protest actions in Panay: 2,000 in Iloilo City; 300 in Roxas City; and 200 in Kalibo, Aklan. Over 2,000 also rallied in Eastern Visayas: 1,500 in Catbalogan City; and 550 in the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc. In Cebu City, 1,000 protested while over 100 rallied in Bacolod City. In Mindanao, a cultural rally was held in Davao City with 3,000 people attending. Meanwhile, 5,000 people assembled in General Santos City. They came from South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani. Some 1,000 also protested in Cagayan de Oro and other areas of Misamis Oriental.
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