DAYS after the shock hero’s interment of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, activists held the “National Day of Unity and Rage against the Marcos burial,” a rally at Rizal Park that saw the torch of protest passed on to a new generation.
The League of Filipino Students (LFS) assembled at Gate 2 on España Boulevard in Manila around 1 p.m. on Nov. 25, and held a noise barrage.
JP Rosos, national chairman of LFS, said the protest sought to preserve the bloody history of Martial Law against revisionist efforts by Marcos loyalists, following the “sudden” hero’s burial of the former strongman last Nov. 18.
“Patuloy tayong nagbibigay ng message na kahit nilibing si [Ferdinand Marcos], nananatili sa kasaysayan ng [mamamayan] na hindi kabayanihan ang pagpaslang, pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at pagpapaka-tuta sa `Kano. Hindi kabayanihan ang ginawa ni Marcos,” Rosos said in a chance interview with the Varsitarian.
Students from different schools and universities gathered at Mendiola Peace Arc to burn an effigy of the former dictator.
Hundreds of youth protesters merged with activist groups headed to the Rizal Park at around 3 p.m. The protesters, wearing black shirts, arrived at Quirino Grandstand around 4 p.m.
Marcos ‘stole own burial’
Former senator Sergio Osmeña III said he was not surprised by the sudden burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, saying: “Ganyan naman sila noon pa. The biggest thief even stole his own burial.”
Osmeña said that as a predominantly Catholic country, to “forgive and move on” is not possible because Marcos did not go through confession of sin, penance, apology and restitution.
“Wala `yung apat nga na yun? Ni sorry wala. Why will we move on? Move on to what?” Osmeña said.
Benedictine nun Sr. Mary John Mananzan of St. Scholastica’s College criticized those who bashed their institution after the picture of Scholastican students protesting along the road last Nov. 18 draw flak on social media.
“Ay sorry sila hindi nila alam. Kahit `yung mga Scholastican na ang nagsasabi na they are so proud that we taught them how to stand for the truth. We stand by our thrust for education, justice and social transformation,” Mananzan said in an interview.
Mananzan sent a message to President Rodrigo Duterte who allowed the burial, saying: “Pwede ba, kumalas ka na sa Marcos?”
AFP rule, not a law
Former Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Colmenares criticized Duterte, who claimed to have decided on the burial based on “the rule of law.” He said the president followed an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) regulation, not a law.
“Ang clarification namin diyan, hindi `yan batas, it’s an AFP regulation. May magagawa siya. In fact, sa buong Pilipinas siya lang ang may poder over AFP regulation dahil ang nag-issue ng AFP regulation ay presidente,” Colmenares said.
“In the end it will not be us who will carry the battle, it is the youth of tomorrow. Hindi lang ito issue ng nakaraan, ito rin ay issue ng rehabilitation ng Marcoses as part of their design to return to political power,” Colmenares said.
Activist Mae Paner, known as Juana Change, hit back at Duterte.
“S’ya pa ang nagsalita tungkol sa law? E di ba nga siya nga mismo ang daming ginagawa na hindi n’ya sinusunod ito. How can he invoke the rule of law when he himself doesn’t follow it?” she said.
Paner said the President and the Supreme Court justices who voted for the burial “betrayed” the Filipino people.
National Anti-Poverty Commission Chief Liza Maza said she “never” supported the President’s decision on the burial of the late President Marcos, despite her being named by the President to the Cabinet.
“Alam niya na kami bilang kaliwa ay may ibang posisyon dito. I cannot rest na hindi i-contribute ang presensya ko sa pangyayari na ito. Palagay ko ang mga nabuhay noon ay patuloy na makikibaka at titindig laban sa pasismo at kay Marcos,” she said.
Duterte Youth backs burial
A group of 40 people called “Duterte Youth” countered the anti-Marcos protest. “We are voicing our support for President Duterte’s decision to honor the burial of former president Marcos. He is worthy to be buried there together with his comrades,” Duterte Youth Chairman Ronald Cardema said in an interview.
“Yung Martial Law, he (Marcos) was the chief policy maker, the ones implementing those orders were the ones who fouled up. Not him,” he added.
Police estimated that more than 1,500 people attended the anti-Marcos protest.
