November 26, 2016 (8:13 AM)

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Members of progressive groups and students from different universities unite in the nationwide condemnation of the Marcos burial. Photo by Christian Dale Espartero

Members of progressive groups and students from different universities unite in the nationwide condemnation of the Marcos burial. Photo by Christian Dale Espartero

Members of progressive groups and students from different universities unite in the nationwide condemnation of the Marcos burial. Photo by Christian Dale Espartero

Hundreds of people from different schools and organizations gathered at the Freedom Park at the Roxas Avenue yesterday, Nov. 25, as they protest against the burial of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB).

Their protest was simultaneous with the “National Day of Unity and Rage” as other protests were also staged in different cities across the country to condemn the sudden burial of the late strongman at the heroes’ cemetery last Nov. 18.

Majority of the protesters wore black as they show solidarity with the nationwide protest which was also called as “Black Friday.” They displayed signs, placards, and streamers to express their strong opposition against the Marcos burial. They believe that the Marcos’ burial at the heroes’ cemetery is an “insult to the victims of Martial Law.”

Their protests began as they marched from Freedom Park to the World War II Veterans’ Monument to the Roxas Blast Memorial Site and then back to the Freedom Park where a program took place.

During the program, leaders from various progressive groups and organizations gave their messages to the crowd as they expressed anger towards Marcos’ sudden burial at the heroes’ cemetery. They demanded President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw his support towards the Marcos’ burial and instead recognize the injustices and abuses during the Martial Law of the Marcos regime.

Protestors who joined the rally shared their sentiments about the reasons why they oppose the burial of Ferdinand Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery.

“Nakikiisa kami sa National Day of Unity and Rage against the burial of Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Nananawagan kami kay President Duterte na harapin ang mga biktima ng Martial Law at ang kanilang pamilya at tanungin niya kung ano sa tingin nila ang makakatulong for them to heal and move on,” Konsensya Dabaw head Mags Magalana said.

“Hindi naman natin naabutan yung Martial Law pero ang kabataan meron talaga siyang makasaysayang papel na makibaka at lumaban sa kahit anong porma ng inhustisya. Sa panahon ng Martial Law, ilan ang pinatay, ilan ang tinorture, ilan ang na-rape, ilan ang kinulong at hanggang ngayon, walang hustisya ang naibibigay sa kanila. So it’s appalling, nakakagalit na binigyan ng state honor or state burial sa loob ng Libingan ng mga Bayani si Ferdinand Marcos given his atrocities against the Filipino people. So that’s why we are here para ikondena yung paglibing sa kanya, ipanawagan na ibigay yung hustisya sa lahat ng biktima ng Martial Law,” Anakbayan spokesperson Malaya Genotiva said.

“We really believe that we should remember the horrors of Martial Law. We should remember how the former president, the dictator, Marcos, looted our country. We should remember. We should never forget. And this means that as a people, as Christians, we should learn from the past. We should not be trapped in the past but we should learn from what had happened so that we are able to move forward as a people,” Father Ino Cueto, an anti-Marcos protestor, said.



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