Protest actions in the Philippines against US' war threat vs. Iraq spreading
The Filipino people's unity against US threats to invade Iraq is ever expanding.
Among the latest entities that declared its stand against the US war is the Catholic church. "We are not anti-American. We are anti-war," declared Jaime Cardinal Sin in his pastoral letter read at "Stand for Peace," a prayer-rally held in Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila on January 31. The archbishop of Manila also warned the Macapagal-Arroyo regime not to support the Bush government's plans.
"Let us make a stand for peace!" said Vice President Teofisto Guingona. He encouraged the Filipino people to resist any attempt by the US to wage war.
More than 5,000 from the workers', students', church and other sectors joined the rally, including organizations allied with Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), Muslim Solidarity for the People of Iraq (MUSPI) and the Moro-Christian People's Alliance. Also at the rally were personalities like former Sen. Wigberto Ta�ada and Archbishop Casaousa of Iraq.
Prior to this, MUSPI held a short program at the Golden Mosque Compound in Quiapo and at the Islamic Center, after which its members proceeded to Plaza Miranda where they lit candles for peace, simultaneous with other cities and towns in the country.
That same day, some 500 antiwar activists joined the "March Rally for Peace, Freedom and Sovereignty" led by BAYAN-Central Luzon. They marched in the streets of Angeles City and rallied at the Clark Special Economic Zone. Students, farmers and workers from Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan and Bataan joined the march.
They also criticized the Macapagal-Arroyo regime for the continued presence of American troops in the Philippines in the name of "humanitarian missions" and "joint training exercises" like Bayanihan in Mindanao and Balance Piston 03-05 in the former US military bases in Luzon.
Meanwhile, at the Senate, four senators (Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto and Noli de Castro) sponsored a resolution calling on Macapagal-Arroyo to be more circumspect on the US-Iraq issue. Senator Arroyo criticized the Philippine government for being the only government in all of Asia that has been strident about its support for the US war in Iraq.
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