Philippines marks people power revolt
Thousands of pro-democracy activists have marked the anniversary of the 1986 "people power" revolt that ousted Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos with a warning against what they say are the incumbent president's dictatorial tendencies.
The activists gathered on Saturday at the "people power" revolt shrine along the main highway in metropolitan Manila, where millions of Filipinos converged 31 years ago in a largely peaceful uprising to oust Marcos.
A much larger rally in support of President Rodrigo Duterte and his crackdown on illegal drugs was held at Manila's Rizal Park, where police estimated the crowd to have surpassed more than 200,000. Many of the demonstrators arrived in buses and jeeps with local officials.
"This is proof of the real 'people power,"' Communications Secretary Andanar told the crowd.
The army-backed 1986 revolt ended a presidency marked by massive corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations.
Duterte's administration commemorated the anniversary austerely in the main military camp on Friday near the "people power" shrine. The event was not attended by Duterte, who allowed Marcos to be buried in a heroes' cemetery in November, sparking an outcry from pro-democracy groups.
The protesters condemned the thousands of killings of mostly poor drug suspects in a brutal crackdown Duterte ordered shortly after he took office in June and other policy changes, including his call for the re-imposition of the death penalty, preferably by public hanging.
Duterte, whose father served in Marcos' Cabinet, allowed the burial on grounds that there was no law barring his interment at the Heroes' Cemetery, where presidents, soldiers, statesmen and national artists are buried. It was a political risk in a country where democracy advocates still celebrate Marcos' ouster each year.
