Misdirected millions

This third installment of what organizers' call " The Million Man March" only marshalled 5,000 plus people. This is a poor followup to that successful August 26, 2013 rally where more than 30,000 Pinoys, most of them families trooped to Luneta and expressed their anger and disgust over what was happening.

Now, not too fast. The poor attendance yesterday do not necessarily say or show the current sentiment of the people against this issue. The problem really is, organizers failed to once more capture the support of the middle forces.

I am even thinking that this activity is somewhat being managed by this administration so that no anti-government element will be able to take the leadership cudgels so to speak. Meaning, they are manipulating this so that it will not veer away from its "Mohandas" style of demonstration into militancy. Everyone knows that during the first few days or weeks when Janet Lim-Napoles first came into the spotlight, thousands even millions of Filipinos were shocked and angered by the expose and called for blood. It could have been directed and led effectively towards a real revolution.

Of course, it did not help that ideological groups tried to dominate the propaganda landscape during the march. For many people, the issue of the pork barrel scam is simply naked thievery. You don't need Marx to explain to the people why some people and most politicians try to scheme us from our monies. It is a consequence of a flawed system which remains because of the lack of a plausible alternative.

As expected, civil society members failed to once more listen to the very people they have vowed to represent. The people are angry. The people are thirsty for justice. Maybe the people want another kind of demonstration, the kind that will jolt this government from its stupor.

The Thais have tried to do more than what Pinoys did in these demonstrations.

There is this perception that those involved in the pork barrel scam have already penetrated the group, which I assumed to be untrue.

Or probably, yes, these people who are self-proclaimed leaders of this Million Man March are trying to hijack the legitimate ire of the people against the government for this anger not to turn into true militancy.

Organizers must also consider that the time has come to further heighten the campaign by calling on the immediate seizure of assets of those involved, and try to institute a People's Council that will try those not charged before the tribunal of the Masses.