COMMENTARY: Daang Mediola and the Current Political Shift in the Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 30 March) — Daang Mendiola, that short street, 0.578 kilometers, leading to the gates of Malacañang Palace where the seat of political power in the country operates, clarifies who the parties in a conflict are. I grew up during the time when the ones who frequently occupied the streets and banging the doors of Malacañang were the national democrats. After the Ninoy Assassination, the yellows were also seen on that street. On the other side of the Mendiola Bridge (now, Don Chino Roces Bridge) was the Marcos Dictatorship. On many occasions, I was with the demonstrators, serving as marshal or as frontliner. Several times, I experienced red-tainted water cannons and violent dispersals.

Demonstrations in Mendiola never ceased. During the Presidency of Cory Aquino, Mendiola Massacre happened. It was January 22, 1987, when farmers demanding the implementation of agrarian reform was brutally dispersed by state security forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people and injuring 74 others. The incident marked a turning point in the presidency of Corazon Aquino, who had promised comprehensive land reform but ultimately failed to deliver. The massacre exposed the deep-seated issues of inequality, land ownership, and the reality that the post-EDSA Revolution government was elitist.

Mendiola also turned red right before former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada fled the palace on January 20, 2001 to avoid violence amid a people power uprising over allegations of plunder. A large anti-Estrada crowd had gathered at the Mendiola Bridge, facing off against PNP personnel and pro-Estrada supporters. This event occurred just as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was taking her oath of office as president before Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. at the EDSA Shrine. Arroyo also did face backlash from political maneuverings. After completing her term as President, she was arrested twice. The first arrest happened on November 18, 2011, when she was taken into custody at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on charges of electoral sabotage. She was later released on bail in July 2012.The second arrest occurred in October 2012, when she was rearrested on charges of misuse of $8.8 million in state lottery funds. She was given hospital arrest due to her life-threatening health conditions and, eventually, the Supreme Court acquitted her by a vote of 11-4 during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. 

One would wonder why dialogue cannot occur in Mendiola. Why can’t Presidents meet with representatives of demonstrators and rallyists to discuss grievances and ways forward?

During the Presidency of Cory Aquino, an attempt at dialogue was made. This was on January 20, 1987, when the late Jaime Tadeo, the leader of the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP), was invited inside Malacañang and met with Minister Heherson Alvarez to discuss the farmers’ demands for genuine agrarian reform. Alvarez promised to bring the matter to President Corazon Aquino’s attention during the next day’s cabinet meeting. This was before Mendiola Massacre happened. 

If my memory serves me right, then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD)also invited leaders of the protesting groups to discuss matters with him and initially included prominent leaders of the Makabayan Bloc in his cabinet.

On March 28, 2025, birthdate of FPRRD who is currently detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands, the scene in Mendiola radically changed. Instead of the red of ages ago or the yellows, the street was white and green. The chant was different, too. Instead of “Marcos, Hitler, Diktador, Tuta” of the 70s and 80s, now the protesters were crying “Bring him home,” “Duterte, Duterte,” and “Marcos Bangag.” The demonstration complemented rallies and gathering happening simultaneously in most cities and provinces across the country and elsewhere in the world where overseas Filipino workers have substantial presence. 

This was the first “green” demonstration in Mendiola, seemingly unorganized and spontaneous. It was remarkable as it proved that even in Metro Manila, FPRRD has a strong following. It also indicated that primary political movement now is people-owned and people-led, covered in color white and green. There is no clearly articulated ideological line, but the issues revolved around the collective rights of communities to be protected and developed, and the assertion of sovereignty in the face of the ICC intervention in Philippines’ affairs. The parties in conflict are personified by Duterte in color green and BBM on the other side.

The pink lost and retreated to Naga, preferring to be fence sitter. The yellow melded with the pink. The age-old red has become a fetter, slowly withering away through a seven-decade political correctness that does not resonate with the majority. The green emerges as the people power.

Daang Mendiola beckons.  

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Jules L. Benitez is a freelance consultant on organizational development and peacebuilding. He was an activist in his younger years at the University of the Philippines and spent his adult life improving and promoting peace in communities across Mindanao)