Ilonggos demand accountability and justice in People’s SONA

By Juliane Judilla

Hundreds of residents gathered at the Archdiocese of Jaro in Iloilo City for a public forum on government accountability on July 10.

The Panay People’s SONA Committee organized the event at the Conference Hall of the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Building.

Speakers tackled pressing national issues including the ongoing impeachment proceedings, international justice, systemic corruption and citizen participation.

The forum serves as a preliminary activity for the upcoming People’s State of the Nation Address scheduled for July 27.

This mass mobilization traditionally coincides with the official State of the Nation Address delivered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz “Nonoy” Defensor discussed the constitutional mechanisms of the impeachment process.

Defensor currently serves as the lead prosecutor for Article IV concerning grave threats in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The House of Representatives recently initiated these historic impeachment proceedings following the vice president’s controversial public statements.

The lawmaker explained that the fourth article alleges betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and high crimes.

These charges stem from Duterte’s admission during a live broadcast that she contracted an assassin to target the president, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Defensor urged the public to actively participate in the impeachment process by consistently demanding accountability from elected officials.

Atty. Angelo Karlo “AK” Guillen of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers-Panay also addressed the crowd.

Guillen discussed various international justice mechanisms available for victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Domestic and international human rights organizations continue to utilize these international avenues to seek accountability for thousands of deaths linked to the previous administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.

Prof. David San Juan, convenor of the anti-graft group Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot, tackled the systemic causes of government corruption.

San Juan outlined specific measures needed to dismantle entrenched political patronage and systemic bribery.

He emphasized the critical importance of strengthening the growing grassroots political movement.

The professor noted this mobilization must expand as the country marks the first anniversary of massive public outrage over anomalous flood control projects.

Lawmakers and citizens heavily scrutinized billions of pesos allocated for flood mitigation last year after severe inundations devastated various regions despite the massive infrastructure spending.

Clarizel Joy Abellar of the Jaro Archdiocesan Commission on Laity delivered the closing remarks.

Abellar called on the public to remain fiercely engaged in the ongoing fight against systemic issues.

“We can only achieve justice when we [ordinary people] refuse to remain silent,” Abellar said.

Organizers hope this series of events will raise awareness on critical national issues and drive higher citizen participation for the July 27 mass action.