PPs end fast, laud people’s show of unity vs. DAP

The political prisoners ended their four-day fast that started in July 25 to July 28, the day BS Aquino delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). The political prisoners lauded the “People’s SONA” saying it was a “meaningful show of people’s unity against the presidential pork, the Disbursement Acceleration Program, and all that DAP represents—a corrupt and bankrupt bureaucracy.”  

The political prisoners ended their four-day fast that started in July 25 to July 28, the day BS Aquino delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). The political prisoners lauded the “People’s SONA” saying it was a “meaningful show of people’s unity against the presidential pork, the Disbursement Acceleration Program, and all that DAP represents—a corrupt and bankrupt bureaucracy.”  


“Pisikal lamang kaming nahihiwalay…Sama-sama tayong nakikibaka para sa paghahangad ng katarungan at makabuluhang pagwawasto sa mga ito,” (We may not be with you physically but we are with you in working for justice and meaningful change), said the political prisoners in a signed statement in reference to the plunder of the nation’s coffers perpetuated by the BS Aquino regime. 

The BS Aquino makes it appear that DAP primed the economy and increased the Gross National Product to the benefit of the Filipino people. “Ngunit ang lahat ng mga ito’y walang anumang katotohanan at panay lamang mga kasinunglingan,”said the political prisoners. 

The political prisoners called attention to the following:

  1. The so-called GNP increase in the last two years is not because of a significant increase from the manufacturing/industries but undeniably because of the increase in OFW remittances and the presence of foreign-owned call centers. 
  2. Massive unemployment remains. An increasing number of people wallow in poverty and are hungry because there is no meaningful development in the economy and the sources of livelihood among the people. The government has no real solution to these problems and also worsen the situation by implementing filthy schemes like DAP. 
  3. The increase in commerce is due to, again, OFW remittances. But, the significant part of such increase is because of the importation of goods and products and has nothing to do with the improvement in local production. Noticeably, Aquino made no mention of the increasing prices of goods, including the basic needs of the majority of impoverished Filipinos.
  4. There is nothing to boast about infrastructure development as these projects have been long delayed in implementation because of bribery and corrupt practices in the bureaucracy, and the mismanagement on the part of the Aquino government. The non-implementation of these projects in the past two years was the source of the so-called “savings” that was diverted to DAP. 
  5. BS Aquino attributed the so-called minimal impact of typhoon Glenda to DAP saying it funded mechanisms to prepare for disasters. He did not mention however the widespread destruction in the farms, fishponds, plantations, farm tools and implements, specifically in Southern Luzon. 

The political prisoners underscored the need to gather the widest support  from the people for the impeachment case against BS Aquino and to hold him and his cohorts accountable for conspiring against the people through the DAP conspiracy.  

The political prisoners’ fast was held to highlight the call, “Jail the plunderers, Free all political prisoners”.  Political prisoners at Camp Crame and Camp Bagong Diwa, including NDFP peace consultants Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, Eduardo Serrano, Renante Gamara, Alan Jazmines, Emeterio Antalan, Leopoldo Calosa, Tirso Alcantara and Maria Loida Magpatoc, signed the statement.