“Magnanakaw!” UP students meet DBM’s Abad with angry protest

As originally posted on Blog Watch, Philippine Online Chronicles.

Crumpled paper, placards, coins hurled at ‘DAP bagman’

Budget secretary Butch Abad met an an angry mob of Iskolars ng Bayan Wendesday evening in University of the Philippines-Diliman. The students hurled crumpled paper at the DAP secretary, some got close enough to shout at his face as the crowd repeatedly chanted “MAGNANAKAW!”.

Abad was in UP College of Economics in Diliman where he was a speaker, together with representatives of CODE-NGO, in a forum on the 2015 budget. In the forum he defended the Disbursement Acceleration Program and Aquino’s pork barrel.

As he spoke, about 100 Iskolars ng Bayan blocked the exits of the venue and protested as he was about to come out. As he exited, protesters repeatedly chanted “MAGNANAKAW!” in his face and hurled crumpled paper with signs saying: “?#?DAPatManagot?, Noynoy patalsikin!”

Some were able to get close and hurled paper directly at his face and said “ito para sa mga ninakawan niyo!”. Some threw coins or mamera at him as they shouted “Butch Abad, panagutin! Noynoy patalsikin!”

The “DAP bagman” walked hurriedly and mobilized security personnel but could not avoid the angry UP students. Abad could not easily enter his car as protesters blocked his vehicle. As he boarded his vehicle, a student got close and held him from the back by his collar.

He was pale and students say, “looked like a guilty criminal.” Once he got in his SUV, and the road was cleared, it hurriedly exited the campus. “Like grand theft auto,” said one of the students.

“How dare him go to UP and tell us his lies! Plunderers and holDAPers are not welcome here. Butch Abad and Aquino should be held accountable for their crimes. Para iyon sa mga ninakawan, sa mga tinanggalan ng karapatan makapagpaospital, para sa mga kabataan na ninakawan ng kinabukasan! Patalsikin si Noynoy at Abad!” said Charlotte France, of STAND-UP.

Protests are going to be launched on September 19 in commemoration of Martial Law and to fight Aquino’s term extension plans.

Video via CONTEND-UP