MANILA (UCAN): Catholics and human rights groups in the Philippines celebrated the 37th anniversary of the People Power Revolution on February 25—a first under the new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose dictator-father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., was toppled by the peaceful uprising.
Earlier, late on February 23, Marcos Jr. declared February 24, a special non-working holiday in the Philippines and that February 25 would be a regular working day, media reported. A statement from the Official Gazette read: “Consistent with the holidays moved in furtherance of holiday economics as contained in Proclamation No. 90 dated November 11, 2022, February 24, 2023 has been declared a special non-working holiday to mark the EDSA anniversary in lieu of February 25, but without diminishing the latter’s significance.”
ABS-CBN reported Marcos Jr. as saying that the earlier holiday is meant to enable Filipinos “to avail of the benefits of a longer weekend pursuant to the principle of holiday economics.”
Thousands of people gathered on Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue, also known as EDSA, in the capital Manila and played loud music, as they detailed abuses committed by the late Marcos Sr. during the more than decade-long martial law years.
They can never erase us … That’s why we need to relive the story of the People Power [Revolution] every year so that the country will not forget this dark moment in our history under one dictator, under one family,
Former victims said efforts to whitewash the abuses would never succeed.
“They can never erase us … That’s why we need to relive the story of the People Power [Revolution] every year so that the country will not forget this dark moment in our history under one dictator, under one family,” Etta Rosales, a martial law victim and former lawmaker, said on February 27.
Rosales said she was tortured by Marcos’ soldiers with electric shocks for purportedly teaching communism to university students.
Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law and suspended the writ of habeas corpus on 21 September 1972 citing alleged attacks by the Communist Party of the Philippines. It kicked off years of arbitrary arrests, torture in detention, murders and enforced disappearances.
“I was blindfolded. They put wires on my fingertips and electrocuted me every time after questions. They asked me questions about the whereabouts of certain people I did not even know,” she said.
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“The spirit of the revolution is not just about the Marcos dictatorship. It is about every fascist government that violates human rights … the government that killed drug suspects without due process of law,” Rosales added, referring to the war on drugs started by former president, Rodrigo Duterte, which has claimed between 12,000 and 30,000 lives, according to a January report by the International Criminal Court.
We pay our highest respect to all women who fought, were arrested, disappeared, murdered, and widowed during martial law
Rosales joined EveryWoman, a women’s human rights group, in a wreath-laying event at a statue of the Virgin Mary, where anti-Marcos protests were held in 1986.
In 1986, the decision of the then military vice chief, Fidel Ramos, and defense minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, to withdraw support from Marcos Sr. sparked the revolution. On 22 February 1986, the then archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin, in a radio address asked the faithful to support them.
On February 25 of that year, the dictator was ousted, paving the way for democracy in the nation.
“We pay our highest respect to all women who fought, were arrested, disappeared, murdered, and widowed during martial law,” EveryWoman chairperson, Ging Deles, declared.
Kaparapatan, another human rights group, said it is against the current regime of Marcos Jr. as he has started a disinformation and fake news campaign to whitewash history.
Marcos supporters have continuously controlled all forms of media, particularly social media, “with fake news.” We are “fighting to uphold the truth,” Kaparapatan member, Josh De Guia, said.
The human rights groups conducted a symposium—Philippines is there still hope?—at the Our Lady of Peace Shrine, also known as EDSA Shrine, which was attended by clergymen.
“In the spirit of political love, and in the spirit of EDSA People Power, it is time for us to ask questions so that our political leaders can render us an account. How do we operationalise ‘political love’ today? What are the questions that we should be asking? Who should answer them? What are our next steps?” said Vincentian priest and theologian, Father Daniel Franklin Pilario, at the event.
Duterte, who had repeatedly criticized the uprising and supported the Marcos family, never attended any anniversary events during his six-year term. Marcos Jr., on the other hand, attended a local function on his turf, Ilocos Norte.
Marcos Jr. has never apologised for the atrocities committed during his father’s regime. However, to mark this year’s anniversary of the revolution he urged reconciliation and unity.
“I once again offer my hand of reconciliation to those with different political persuasions to come together as one in forging a better society,” he said in a social media post.
Amnesty International says that more than 70,000 people were jailed and about 34,000 others were tortured during martial law. The official death toll is 3,200. During his rule, Marcos Sr. is believed to have plundered up to US$10 billion [$78 billion] during his two-decade rule, aided by his wife, Imelda.
