Activists interested in SONA revelations, but...

Even militant groups are looking forward to the revelations that President Aquino will deliver in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. However, militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said it is more interested in knowing what Aquino plans to do after exposing those irregularities. "Exposing corruption is a good thing. Let's hope it doesn't stop there. The prosecution of Mrs. Arroyo and her allies must be part of the SONA of the president. We know that there was corruption, fraud, and human rights abuses. The big challenge for the new government is how to go after the perpetrators. It remains to be seen if the promised Truth Commission can actually do this," Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in an article on the Bayan website Saturday afternoon. On Friday, Aquino promised to reveal "shocking" items in his SONA before the 15th Congress, but he did not elaborate on what these are. For its part, Bayan vowed to push for the prosecution of former President Gloria Arroyo and her "cohorts," who it said were behind many irregularities during her nine-year watch. The call "Jail GMA" will also resonate in the rally, the group added. "Farmers who were victims of the fertilizer fund scam will march on Monday to demand justice. Victims of human rights violations of Gloria and Gen. Jovito Palparan will march to demand justice. People scandalized by the PAGCOR scams and other similar incident will march to demand accountability," Reyes said. Also, Bayan said the corruption expose will probably underscore the current fiscal crisis facing the government. It noted that the Bureau of Internal Revenue will soon impose a 12% VAT on toll fees and will require receipts for market vendors as part of its drive to raise revenues. "While it is true that corruption has had an impact on the budget deficit and fiscal position of the new government, we are wary that the measures that will be taken by the new administration is to pass on the fiscal burden to the people," Reyes said. "The midyear budget deficit has already exceeded the projections made by the government. What we need is a solution that is foremost socially just, not just a short-term fix that will be an added burden to the people. Stamping out corruption is one acceptable thrust. Going after big tax evaders is also good. But new taxes on the people, that is not what we are expecting," he explained. Meanwhile, Bayan sought to justify its protest rallies on Monday, saying it wanted to relay to Aquino the problems of the nation and challenge him to act. In another article on its website, it said the SONA rally will seek "Katarungan, Karapatan, Kabuhayan at Kalayaan (Justice, Human Rights, Livelihood and Freedom)." - TJD, GMANews.TV