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Nationwide protests vs Marcos today ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Local activists are joining today’s nationwide simultaneous protests against the burial of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Different anti-Marcos groups have declared Nov. 25 as “national day of unity and rage.”
Protest organizers expect at least a thousand participants in black shirts in the 2 p.m. rally at the Iloilo provincial capitol grounds.
“Ipakita namon ang mabaskog nga pagpamatok sa paglubong kay Marcos sa Libingan,” said Reyland Vergara, secretary general of the human rights alliance KARAPATAN-Panay.
In a statement, the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacañang (CARMMA) – Panay said, “In trying to restore the image of the dead Marcos from being the worst among the world’s tyrants and plunderers, they only succeeded in opening the wounds suffered not only by the direct victims of martial law but by the Filipino nation as a whole.”
An hour before the anti-Marcos rally, militant women’s group Gabriela will mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
“Ang kababaihan magapakita sang ila kaakig angot sa padayon nga kalakasan sa kababaihan kag ining paglubong kay anay diktador Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Sa panahon sang martial law madamo sang kababaihan ang gin pintasan kag gin lugos sang military,” said Roxanne Javellana, chairperson of Gabriella-Iloilo City.
Other groups joining today’s protest are victims of martial law, Bagong Alyansang Makabyan-Panay and Marcos No Hero Movement.
“We cannot allow the Marcoses to reverse the judgment of history so as to pave the way for their return to the highest seat of power. The Filipino nation suffered against martial law and eventually drove the dictator and his family — Imelda, Bongbong, Imee and Irene — out of Malacañang and out of the country in 1986,” according to CARMMA-Panay.
It urged Ilonggos to “take this opportunity to manifest our firmest stand against making a mockery of the judgment of history against Marcos the dictator and against allowing his heirs to scheme and buy their way to the highest positions in government.”
CARMMA-Panay said it welcomes other related activities (school- or community-based) that will be informative in nature, and would even facilitate resource persons from among martial law victims and lawyers.
Students of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) – Miag-ao and Iloilo City campuses will join today’s protest.
According to Elijah Estante, chairperson of the UPV University Student Council, at least 200 students will participate.
“May historical revisionism na nangyayari. ‘Yung itinuturo sa ating mga anak si Marcos ay isang bayani. Nagkakaroon ng definition (na ang) isang bayani ay tuta, magnanakaw, diktador,” said Estante.
On Nov. 8 voting 9-5, the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions blocking President Rodrigo Duterte’s order of Marcos’ burial at the Libingan in Taguig City, Metro Manila.
Associate justices Arturo Brion, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, Teresita de Castro, Jose Mendoza, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe favored Marcos’ burial at the Libingan while Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, and associate justices Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza and Benjamin Caguioa voted otherwise.
The high tribunal’s spokesperson Atty. Theodore Te read part of the Supreme Court decision: “There are certain things that are better left for history — not this court — to adjudge. The court could only do so much in accordance with clearly established rules and principles. Beyond that, it is ultimately for the people themselves, as the sovereign, to decide, a task that may require the better perspective that the passage of time provides. In the meantime, the country must move on and let this issue rest.”
John Marlou Salido, chairperson of UPV’s College of Management Student Council, said his peers may not have been born yet during Marcos’ declaration of martial law but they knew the sufferings of the victims.
“We will have a short program first at UPV Iloilo City Campus then we will march to the Iloilo provincial capitol,” said Salido.
Bayan-Panay spokesperson Elmer Floro said they have secured a permit from the city government for the protest.
Floro also assured the police there will be no violence./PN
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