Manila: The influential Catholic Church and opposition Vice-President Leni Robredo amplified calls to reject President Rodrigo Duterte — he was blamed for the death of 7,700 people in the campaign against the illegal drug-trade since July; the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes Cemetery last November; and scaling down the celebration of the people-backed military mutiny that ousted Marcos and propped up Corazon Aquino to the presidency in 1986. For the first time, it was held on February 24 and not on February 25.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle called on parishes and ecclesiastical communities on Saturday to organise public prayers such as processions, rosary rallies or prayer worship, “that they find appropriate (to celebrate the 31st anniversary of the event)”.
“Once more we commemorate EDSA People Power on February 25, 2017. Just like any great events, it has many aspects with various levels of meaning,” said Tagle, adding, “We give every parish the freedom to plan and organise its commemoration with simplicity but depth.”
The event occurred on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in suburban Quezon City and San Juan, from February 22 to 25.
Criticising Duterte, Vice-President Robredo said, “We don’t need false prophets of change who claim that they are the people’s last hope. The change that we so desire begins with us — in the way we live our lives, in the way we protect the rights and liberties that EDSA restored.”
Referring to Duterte, Robredo said, “Some leaders would like us to forget the atrocities of (Marcos’) martial law (which was imposed in 1972). Some leaders are only too happy to glorify the dictatorship of Marcos, to revise the history so that he is remembered as a hero, and not the thief and murderer that he was.” She called on “leaders and the public alike to counter the cynicism that has marked public discourse”.
Not forgiving the heirs of Marcos, Robredo blamed Filipinos who are “quick to forget,” and those who voted for Marcos’ son, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, in 2016 (she won over him with more than 250,000 votes), adding this has resulted in the “re-emergence of Marcos heirs, who still try to convince our young that the sins of the past do not matter”.
Opposing the burial of the elder Marcos, Robredo said the Marcoses (and Duterte) “seek to revise our history using money stolen from the millions of taxpayers’ wallets”.
Earlier, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Socrates Villegas warned about attempts to “prostitute the meaning of EDSA,” adding, “What the pimps of that spirit have done cannot remove the purity of EDSA’s valour and the nobility of its lesson.”
In response, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte blamed EDSA’s prostitution on leaders who did not end the divide between the rich and the poor, and for perpetrating a political divide.
In 1986, the Catholic Church, then led by Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, called for people’s power when former Defence Chief Juan Ponce Enrile and former head of the Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos led a military mutiny against Marcos. Aquino endorsed Ramos as president from 1992 to 1998 — but was opposed by Enrile who led several failed coup attempts against Aquino.
On Friday, former President Ramos and Senator Enrile reconciled — they joined for the first time to celebrate a toned-down EDSA commemoration, which was organised by Malacanang, the presidential palace. Observers noted a “new spirit of EDSA celebration”.
“There should be a grand celebration in 2018. The government and private sector should put up a museum and library for people-power memorabilia and artefacts on the 2.5-hectare area behind the existing People Power Monument,” proposed Ramos.
Former President Benigno Aquino III, whose popularity was part of EDSA’s myth, did not attend the event. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea represented President Duterte, who also skipped the event.
