Militant trade union center Kilusang Mayo Uno joined other groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and Bantay Impeachment who trooped to the Senate of the Philippines today to demand that Sara Duterte be held to account in time for her first impeachment trial.
“Mga kapwa manggagawa, huwag nating kalimutan na ang tinangay ni Sara Duterte na buwis ay galing sa ating arawang pagsusumikap. Dapat itong inilaan sa pagpapaaral sa ating mga anak at sa pampublikong serbisyo.” said KMU Chairperson Jerome Adonis.
Bunga ng ating pagkilos ang pag-usad ng impeachment ni Sara Duterte. Ipagpatuloy pa natin ang ating protesta hanggang tanggalin sa pwesto, at panagutin si Sara Duterte sa kanyang kasalanan sa taumbayan.” the labor leader added.
(“Fellow workers, let’s not forget that the taxes Sara Duterte misused came from our hard-earned labor. That money should have gone to our children’s education and to public services”
“The progress we’ve seen in Sara Duterte’s impeachment is the result of our collective action. Let’s keep up the pressure with our protests until she’s removed from office and made to answer to the people for her wrongdoing”)
KMU expressed that Filipino workers have no illusion that the Marcos government will pursue genuine accountability. The group pointed out how in previous cases of corruption, only through the people’s movement were high-ranking government officials deposed.
“Hindi dapat natin ipagkatiwala nang buo ng Senado na isisiwalat nito ang lawak at lalim ng korapsyon. Sumandig tayo sa ating lakas upang singilin at panagutin ang lahat ng kurakot. Tayo, ang mga manggagawa at taumbayan, ang hahatol at magpapanagot sa mga buwaya sa gubyerno.” Adonis said.
(We should not fully entrust the Senate to expose the full extent and depth of corruption. Let us rely on our own strength to hold all the corrupt accountable. We – the workers and the people – are the ones who will judge and hold the vultures in government accountable.)
KMU added that workers will also pursue accountability against Bongbong Marcos for his involvement in corruption and the flood control scandal. The group reminded the public that confidential and intelligence funds, Congress doleouts for patronage politics, and anomalous infrastructure budgets ballooned under his term – with his office having the sole discretion of approving the National Budget and disbursing so-called “black budget” allocations.
“Bongbong, pang Wimbledon ang husay mo sa pambobola. Hindi pwedeng magmalinis ang pinakamarumi sa lahat pagdating sa korapsyon. Totoo nga namang hindi na raket sa’yo ang korapsyon – kabuhayan mo na ‘yon, doon ka na lumaki.” the labor leader said.
(“Bongbong, you blow smoke more than a chimney. The dirtiest of them all when it comes to corruption has no right to play innocent. It’s true that corruption isn’t just a side hustle for you — it’s your livelihood, you grew up in it)
KMU enjoined fellow workers to join the weekly protests in time with the succeeding impeachment trials. The group called on workers to monitor the developments in Sara Duterte’s trial, regard their unions and associations as anti-corruption organizations, and to show their organized ranks against corruption in their factories, communities, and in the streets.
“Kung sa loob ng unyon hindi tayo pumpayag sa korapsyon, higit lalo pa sa mga nasa pusisyon! Sama-sama nating itakwil ang mga magnanakaw at sindikato sa pamahalaan – una na sina Bongbong Marcos at Sara Duterte!” Adonis ended.
(“If we don’t tolerate corruption within our own union, we should tolerate it even less from those in power! Let us unite in rejecting the thieves and syndicates in government — starting with Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte!”)
The group also called on workers and Filipinos to join the SONA ng bayan protest this year to condemn the Marcos government’s refusal to address the peoples’ demand for social services and economic relief, justice, and accountability.
