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MANILA /Â AP
Hundreds of left-wing and pro-democracy activists on Saturday marked the anniversary of the 1986 revolt that ousted Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos to warn about what they say are the incumbent president’s dictatorial tendencies and condemn his decision to allow Marcos to be buried in a heroes’ cemetery.
More than 1,000 activists from different groups gathered at the “people power†revolt shrine along the main highway in the Manila metropolis where millions of Filipinos converged 31 years ago in a largely peaceful uprising to oust Marcos.
The army-backed revolt, which became a harbinger of peaceful change in authoritarian regimes worldwide, ended a presidency marked by massive corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration commemorated the revolt’s anniversary austerely in the main military camp 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.