100,000 rally at the Luneta
Up to 100,000 people attended the Prayer Assembly for Peace at the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta (Rizal Park) on February 28 to express their vigorous opposition to the war in Iraq and in Mindanao. They came from the ranks of the poor, the petty bourgeoisie, national minorities and various religions and sects. The rally was the biggest among the successive mass actions held in the Philippines since January against the US war of aggression in Iraq.
Aside from members of militant organizations like BAYAN and Bayan Muna, Vice President Teofisto Guingona and leaders and representatives of other institutions like the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines likewise attended the rally,
Rafael Mariano of BAYAN said that Macapagal-Arroyo was very much alone in the arms of Bush and other war hawks. He demanded that Macapagal-Arroyo immediately withdraw all US troops from Mindanao to prevent a repetition in the country of a tragedy like the Vietnam war. Also read at the rally was a message from Jaime Cardinal Sin, warning against "enemies of peace." Guingona criticized growing US intervention in the country.
Various forms and methods of protest were also held in different parts of the country. A Peace Concert was held at UP Diliman, Quezon City. More than 500 students staged a vigil at UP Los Ba�os on February 27. People lit cadles in Pangil, Laguna. The following day, 4,000 members of the Justice not War Coalition-ST held a prayer rally before proceeding to Manila. Some 1,000 persons from seven provinces in Central Luzon led by BAYAN rallied in Angeles City. Students and teachers from eight schools in Legazpi City, Albay led by the Promotion of Church People's Response (Bicol) lit candles in Pe�aranda Park. More than 1,000 prayed on the evening of February 28 at St. Ferdinand Cathedral in Lucena City. Mass actions were also launched by Innabuyog-Gabriela in Baguio City. Protesters likewise massed up at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
The rally organizers declared that the activity would be followed up with many more forums and marches for peace in various areas nationwide.
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