Filipinos Say: 'Ban Trump–Fight US Imperialist War'

Human rights activists have taken to the streets of Manilla in the Philippines with placards that read, “Ban Trump – Fight U.S. Imperialist War and Plunder,” in anticipation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s arrival in the capital city Sunday

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Trump is heading to the capital to hold talks with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. Both will then join leaders from Vietnam, Indonesia and several Southeast Asian countries as well as China and South Korea on Nov. 14 at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit to be held in the Philippine capital.

Protesters were already in front of Trump Towers in Manila on Friday chanting, "Trump, not welcome!" and "Fight U.S. imperialist war!" The Manila mayor barricaded off the U.S. embassy, blockading over 350 protesters. National authorities deployed 60,000 police forces to patrol the capital in preparation for the two-day ASEAN conference. Activists from over 14 countries have already arrived in Manila where they will burn Trump in effigy.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, BAYAN, told Southeast Asia Globe, it is protesting Trump’s visit because the U.S. president "is right now the biggest threat to regional peace with his provocations against North Korea.”

The group is also protesting the U.S. threat of constructing military bases in the Philippines. Last January the BBC reported that Duterte will allow the U.S. to build barracks and runways at three bases in the Philippines.

Not only will protests take place in the Philippines, but BAYAN-USA will also protest Trump’s “militarist neoliberal economic agenda in the Philippines and the broader Asia Pacific region” this week in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco under the social media hashtags, #BanTrump and #ResistUSWar.

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U.S. protests are set to focus on Trump's relationship with Duterte, who Trump previously congratulated for doing a “great job” on the country’s supposed war on drugs. The government admits to having killed 3,967 people for allegedly being addicted to drugs and police have killed 2,290 people in drug-related crimes.

Activist leaders from BAYAN-USA said, "These two are infamously known as fascist presidents who openly attack the poor, whether through Duterte's Dirty Drug War … or Trump's ... Muslim ban and multiple cuts to education, women's reproductive rights.”

President Duterte recently told reporters that if Trump brings up “the issue” of the killings he would say: “You want to ask a question, I’ll give you an answer. Lay off. That is not your business. That is my business. I take care of my country and I will nurture my country to health.”

Trump is expected to accuse the Southeast Asian leaders at the ASEAN meeting of unfair trade procedures, similar to the speech he gave at the APEC meeting in Vietnam.