AJLPP Statement on the 5th Aniversary of People's Power EDSA 2 in the Philippines

AJLPP: GMA caused people's widespread cynicism and Fatigue of People Power 1 and 2 in the Philippines.

Los Angeles-- On January 20, 2001, the people of the Philippines overthrew President Joseph Estrada and installed Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,

Six years after the EDSA 2 uprising that toppled President Joseph Estrada, the AJLPP-USA agroup in the US working for a just and lasting peace laments that the political situation turned to worse for the Filipinos and the US-Arroyo rejected the peace negotiations.

AJLPP condemns the continued political killings in the Philippines.More than 800 persons had been killed by "death squads of the military" since 2001.

AJLPP also scores the US-Arroyo's intrasigence in promoting peace negoatiations between the NDFP and the GRP. The pece talks had been stalled since 2002.

People's Cynicism and People Power Fatigue

Meanwhile in the Philippines, new sources quoted the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan that they believes that the ascension of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the presidency is one of the reasons of cynicism towards another people uprising.

“A lot of people do not want a repeat of the Arroyo succession in 2001. People do not want another reactionary opportunist like Arroyo to benefit from people power and take power just like that,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“We recognize that some people may have been skeptical of people power thinking that this might only lead to a take-over ala-Arroyo. It has therefore become necessary for any future people power to provide a more substantial empowerment of the people and not just immediate benefits for the ruling elite,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that people are looking not only towards changes in the presidency but in the rotten system as well.

“People have actually matured politically after EDSA 1 and 2. They have high standards now with regards to alternative leaders. The simple and seemingly automatic constitutional succession ala-EDSA 2 may not appeal anymore to the people. We have Mrs. Arroyo to blame for that,” Reyes said.

“If people go out in the streets, they want to make sure that the changes that would be brought about by their efforts will be beneficial to them directly, and not just to the ruling few. This is a challenge that everyone in the anti-Arroyo movement should continuously address and confront. Anti-Arroyo forces can agree on a minimum program of pro-people governance addressing issues of social justice, human rights and peace,” Reyes said.

Bayan along with Arroyo anti-Arroyo groups have in the past promoted the concept of a transition council as a viable immediate replacement to the Arroyo regime before the holding of special elections where people can elect a new president.

The transition council would have been the result of a people power action similar to EDSA 1 and 2.

Likewise, AJLPP condemns the various preemptive actions by the Arroyo regime over the last two years have prevented anti-Arroyo groups from gathering the sufficient critical mass for another people power movement.

The US-Arroyo regime had arrested progressive leaders like ANAKPAWIS representative and KMU Chair Emeritus Crispin Beltran who is still in jail for a year now, arrested and courtmartialed more than 50 military officers and charged them conducting coup, and witchhunt progressive organizations in the Philippines.

It is likely it will cheat in the coming May 10 elections to perpertuate itself in power. AJLPP concluded.

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