Bayan defends picket in front of Boy Nograles’ House

PRESS RELEASE

June 14, 2009

Davao City – In reaction to the editorial of a local newspaper dated June 13, Bayan defended the protest rally it staged outside the residence of House Speaker Prospero Nograles saying “ the rally was not meant to disrespect the latter’s family.”

Bayan quoted the editorial saying "no matter what one says about the rightness of the protesters' cause, their behavior in front of Mrs. Nograles, who is not a government official in the first place was completely unacceptable and unnecessary."

“What was not shown in the footages was the accommodation given to Mrs. Nograles by the protesters when she went out of her way and wanted to speak during the rally. There was no agreement that Mrs. Nograles will speak during the rally as what was mentioned in the editorial,” Bayan-SMR spokesperson John Birondo said.

“We object to how the editorial has challenged our struggles for genuine democracy. The spontaneous reaction of the people to bring the protest against charter change right to the very doors of Prospero Nograles’ house was an expression of the people’s anger and mounting discontent to all his betrayals,”Birondo added.

“What was not shown in the footages was the accommodation given to Mrs. Nograles by the protesters when she went out of her way and wanted to speak during the rally. There was no agreement that MRs. Nograles will speak during the rally as what was mentioned in the editorial,” Birondo stressed.

“Without pause and question, Nograles makes use of himself as Gloria Arroyo’s conspirator in railroading charter change amidst the fact that the Filipino people, especially his fellow Dabawenyos are strongly opposed to it,” Birondo said.

Bayan noted that Nograles gave the biggest share in passing House Resolution 1109. He, among the allies of Gloria Arroyo in the Lower House, was decisive and most influential to gather the approval of majority of the congressmen for HR 1109. In some incidents, he initiated cunning strategies of gathering the signatures of some congressmen to complete the needed number of votes for the passage of the said resolution.

“There are more to enumerate why Nograles should be scorned by the people. He was a culprit to many corruption cases like the fertilizer fund scam and was part of the efforts that killed the impeachment complaints against Gloria Arroyo,” Birondo stressed.

“He was among those who defended the First Gentleman, Gloria Arroyo, and the first family during the exposition of the NBN-ZTE Deal Scandal which offshoot was his seat as Speaker of the House,” Birondo added.

Bayan said that “like the millions of Filipino families exploited and betrayed by Prospero Nograles, his family is also a victim of his wickedness.”

“Mrs. Nograles explanation was unnecessary during the rally as she was expected to defend her husband. Besides, they have all the resources and influence to air their own side of the story - a right they are free to assert,” Birondo said.

“If the House Speaker felt his privacy was disrespected, it was not enough to make him pay for his disrespect to the people’s will and dignity. He has no right to cry foul when he himself is causing unbearable damages to the lives of millions of Filipino people,” Birondo stressed.

“Freedom and democracy comes when you fight for it. And in the struggle for genuine freedom and democracy, it is inevitable that the people’s enemy will suffer humiliation and defeat. If indeed Mrs. Nograles speaks from the heart when she uttered she is a Filipino, she should take a stand against his husband’s will and fight for the rights and welfare of her fellow Filipino people,” Birondo said.