ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Council has thrown its weight behind a proposal to build a monument at La Paz Plaza for the late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, framing it not just as a memorial but as a challenge to today’s brand of politics.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia and endorsed during the council’s October 1 session, seeks Mayor Raisa Treñas’ support to spearhead the project. The move followed the commemoration of Santiago’s ninth death anniversary on September 29.
Santiago, who hailed from La Paz, was one of the country’s fiercest political icons — feared for her intellect, admired for her fiery rhetoric, and respected for her relentless battle against corruption. She remains one of the few Filipinos to have served in all three branches of government (regional trial court judge, immigration commissioner, agrarian reform secretary, and senator) and was elected as judge of the International Criminal Court in 2011, an extraordinary feat for a Filipino public servant.
In sponsoring the measure, Sarabia underscored that the monument should carry a message that transcends remembrance: “Erecting her monument is a reminder that greatness in government is never meant to be measured by hidden wealth or questionable alliances, but by courage, accountability, and brilliance without compromise.”
He added that Santiago’s monument must inspire leaders to measure up to her standards: “This is not just about casting her in bronze. It is about casting judgment on what leadership should look like — sharp-minded, incorruptible, and unafraid. Let her statue stand as both tribute and contrast — a monument to a woman who needed no stolen peso to stand tall, and a quiet challenge to those who still do.”/PN
