On her 63rd birthday: Workers wish prison term for Arroyo

A prison term starting June 30 is the wish of workers for Gloria Arroyo’s 63rd birthday today, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno said.

KMU also wishes that the Judicial and Bar Council, which is holding its meeting today, will not give a pleasant gift to Mrs. Arroyo, in the form of expediting her appointment of the next chief justice.

“Happy Ba-bay day, Madame President. We hope that this will be your last birthday in the Palace, for our birthday wish for you is no less than a prison term. You deserve no less than the realization of this wish because you have committed countless crimes against the Filipino workers and people,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“Since 2001, and especially after 2004, we activists have been celebrating, with tears in our eyes, the birthdays of our comrades who were killed or disappeared by this regime. Today, as she celebrates her birthday, we remind Mrs. Arroyo of the sad birthdays caused by the deaths and disappearances that she has ordered,” Labog added.

KMU, together with Anakpawis Partylist, called on the public to observe what it called “Birthday ni Gloria, Ba-bye day ng masa,” and hold a noise barrage from 4:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. About 200 KMU and Anakpawis members gathered in Trabajo Market for the noise barrage. They then marched to Mendiola to present a “gift” to Mrs. Arroyo.

“Our gift is a cage. This is a symbol of the workers’ and people’s birthday wish to put Mrs. Arroyo behind bars for her crimes – from corruption to human rights abuses, and from electoral fraud to murderous criminal neglect. We really look forward to June 30, the day that she loses her immunity from suits and punishment,” Labog said.

“If Arroyo refuses to grant the people’s wish for prison term and pursues her devious schemes, then she must brace for a citizen’s arrest. She can run but she cannot hide from the wrath of Filipinos,” he added.

JBC Meeting

The labor leader also said the public wishes that the Judicial and Bar Council will not grant Mrs. Arroyo’s request for a pleasant birthday present today, as the body meets to screen nominees for the next chief justice of the Supreme Court.

“We hope that the JBC understands that what is legal is not necessarily good for the country. We hope it refuses to grant Mrs. Arroyo’s birthday wish to receive a pleasant gift from the body, in the form of a list of CJ nominees that she can easily appoint,” said Labog.

The JBC is set to meet on the day of Mrs. Arroyo’s birthday, to screen nominees for chief justice of the Supreme Court. The administration has been pushing for Mrs. Arroyo to appoint the next CJ, a move seen by workers and people as paving the way for Mrs. Arroyo’s continued hold on power and for her immunity from prosecution. #