Speakers cheer up pro-Duterte rallyists at Edsa

MANILA, Philippines — “History repeats itself,” said an elderly man on the mic as he stood beside an improvised sound system late at night on November 26 at the Edsa Shrine in Pasig City.

The man, one of the impromptu speakers at a gathering of supporters of embattled Vice President Sara Duterte, was referring to the significance of the Shrine in kicking out presidents like Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.

Don’t lose hope, the man told the audience, they may be few now, but thanks to the vloggers streaming the proceedings, a lot more people are watching what’s happening.

The audience, numbering less than a hundred, is a smattering of elderly women, couples, friends, and vloggers lined up with their phone and video cameras on tripods.

One speaker, vlogger Marlon Baring, thumbed down President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, he said, had nothing to show for his own achievements and just cuts ceremonial ribbons for projects undertaken by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Another speaker, Jimmy Domingo, seethed with anger over what he considered a pattern of actions that started with former president Ferdinand E. Marcos getting rid of then-vice president Fernando Lopez upon the declaration of martial law, and now with President Marcos Jr. trying to dislodge Vice President Duterte.

“I call upon Sen. Imee Marcos to declare a withdrawal of support from her brother, if she really cares for the country,” Domingo said.

“Tama!” (Correct) a few voices from the audience shouted.

Many of them have laid out cartons to sleep on the sidewalk outside the church.

There were packed meals and bottled water, tended to by a couple.

WELL STOCKED Food packs and bottled water are ready for distribution to supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte gathered at the EDSA Shrine in Pasig City on Nov. 26, 2024. PHOTO BY POCHOLO CONCEPCION

Police officers stood by at a distance. Earlier, the Shrine’s rector, Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, posted on Facebook that the protesters won’t be turned away, so long as they don’t resort to “unruly behavior and untoward activities that may compromise the sanctity and dignity of the House of God.”

Meanwhile, anti-Duterte netizens are having a field day mocking their counterparts. “Bakit sa Facebook at TikTok ang dami nila, pero sa Edsa less than 100 lang (Why are there a lot of people on Facebook and TikTok but look less than 100 along Edsa),” said one post.

Many felt disgusted, saying, “the nerve of these people who scoffed at us for staging Edsa 1 and 2. What the hell are they doing there?”

The morning after, there were fewer people, their eyes squinting from the glare of the sun.

“We’re from Baseco [Tondo], said a woman in a group wearing Muslim robes.

When asked what made her go there, she said, “We just felt like [going].” “Nobody asked us to go here,” said another woman.

A few meters away, another group of women were huddled while one of them listed down names of what looked like an attendance sheet.