Different groups flock the People Power monument at Quezon City for the 37th anniversary of Edsa Revolution on Saturday, February 25, 2023. (Photo from Arnel Tacson)
MANILA, Philippines — Different groups criticized President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s offer of reconciliation during the 37th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, a holiday that is annually commemorated over the successful ouster of the president’s father.
Marcos said that the revolution was “a time in our history that divided the Filipino people” and how the country left the Edsa revolution more united.
However, Kabataan Partylist Representative Raoul Manuel said that the only division at the time was because of the Marcos family.
“If there is any divide during EDSA People Power, it is division between the Marcos family and their cronies on one hand, and the patriotic, peace- and democracy-loving Filipino people on the other hand. The crimes of the Marcos family isolated them from the Filipino people and they were forced to flee the country after protests and people’s movements ousted them from power,” said Manuel.
According to Manuel, there can’t be any reconciliation as long as Marcos’ family continues to whitewash history.
“There will be no reconciliation as long as the Marcos family continues to deny their crimes and refuse to apologize; distort history and spread false versions; fail to pay taxes correctly and hold on to remaining ill-gotten wealth,” said Manuel.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Partylist and House Deputy Minority leader and Representative France Castro said that it was easy to talk about reconciliation and unity, but actions are needed.
“He should [ensure] that justice is served to the victims of human rights violations during Martial Law, the peace negotiations are resumed, the ill-gotten wealth stolen from the Filipino people are returned and efforts to revise our history are stopped,” said the ACT representative.
Bayan Muna chair and Martial Law survivor Neri Colmenares echoes Castro’s sentiments of needing concrete actions from Marcos to show sincerity. He even suggested that Marcos should cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe into the previous administration’s war on drugs.
“Many victims of human rights violations during his father’s regime still have to be reparated. A means to show his sincerity in calling for unity though is by returning to the ICC, addressing impunity and resuming the peace talks. Such moves would do well to show that he is a different man from his predecessor,” said Colmenares.
Marcos Sr. and his family, including the current president Marcos Jr., fled to Hawaii, United States after the Filipino people flooded the streets of Edsa to put an end to the decades-long dictator’s rule.
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