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| Photo: Bernardo Bernardo's Fb |
Posted: Monday, August 19, 2013 | By: Esquire Philippines |
Luneta Protest 2013
"...Since there was no ONE recognizable group making “the
call”—the usual noisy suspects have been silent—many people started asking and
doubting the agenda of the gathering.
“Who’s organizing this?” echoed through Twitter and Facebook. Many were
afraid that it was a set-up. A lot were wary of being associated with this or
that collective from the broad spectrum of Philippine political leanings.
"Last night I was having a highly charged discussion during a
meal with friends when a lady in red shows up. We apparently have a common
friend. Her name is Peachy Rallonza-Bretaña. According to her, she was the one
who FIRST re-posted the call of Ito Rapadas. (Ito was the lead singer of a band
called Neo-Colors from the early 90s)
BUT- it was Peachy who posted “the call to action” and she was the one
who put the time and place – and it was this that was spread and tossed around
Facebook via tags and links. In response, Bernardo Bernardo and Monet Silvestre
(a stage actor and a musician respectively) who were also the first ones to
repost this suggestion put up a Facebook page with a California-based Phil-Am
TV show called “Power ng Pinoy.” Peachy says she was tagged as a “host” on the
event page, made administrator, and identified as being the spearhead of this
August 26 protest. I asked her, “Well, are YOU the organizer? There have been
questions, you see. Is there a program? A permit? What can we expect? Who will
be beside me if I go?”
"She looked a little beat, and a lot overwhelmed so I stopped
to let her speak.
"I learned that Peachy has no affiliation with any political
group or movement. She is not sinister—in fact, she is quite reserved. I didn’t
see an agenda-filled demagogue. All I saw was a taxpayer who is very angry at
what is happening. She is angry and is just inviting people to gather,
essentially asking them if they are angry, too. “Luneta is a public space,” she
says, “This is just an invitation to go on August 26, National Heroes Day, to
go to Luneta, and stake their claim on a little piece of our national historic
park...
"…Viva demokrasya."
Read more: http://www.esquiremagazine.ph/culture/who-is-organizing-this-luneta-protest-gathering-by-gang-badoy
