Protests against Marcos Burial, all over the world
PHILIPPINES -- Thousands of Filipinos have gathered in the streets in a continual show of protest against the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Nov. 18.
In a decision promulgated on Nov. 8, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the internment of Marcos at the national shrine, stating that he is qualified to be buried there for his service as a president and as a soldier of the country. The said legal approval of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order (Duterte gave the said order in August) the burial has made possible.
However, organizations, schools, millennials and other sectors of Filipinos have said that Marcos do not deserve it, citing the Martial Law era where many human rights violations had reportedly happened.
Martial Law was proclaimed on September 21, 1972. It was issued under the proclamation 1081 suspended civil rights and imposed military authority.
Press Media during Martial Law was highly controlled by Ferdinand Marcos, and publications that are allowed to operate were limited to those controlled by persons identified with the Marcos Administration.
Different kinds of tortures like electric shock, beating pistol-whipping, water cure, strangulation and many more are used to anyone who goes against him.
More and more Filipinos took arms to dislodge him, and people who opposed him including Senator Benigno Aquino, journalists, students and labor activists were detained at military compounds under the President’s command.
During Martial Law 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and 3,240 were killed.
Filipinos all over the world also expressed their opposition to the said SC decision.
Anti-Marcos activists in Los Angeles staged a protest in front of the Philippine Consulate Office in Los Angeles. Filipino-American activist Arturo Garcia led the protest with a series of chants:
“Marcos is no hero! He killed Filipinos!”
“Marcos family, shame on you!”
“Marcos! Hitler! Diktador! Tuta!”
Various Filipino organizations in New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, The Marianas and European Cities also expressed their outrage.
“It is solidarity with the others who have the same intention…aside from the fact that we want the president to hear or we want the president to know that the Filipino people, especially the students wouldn’t take this lying down…”
The main reason behind their rallies is that, they want attention, attention from the president they wanted to let the president to know that “he can’t just do whatever he wants, but he has to listen to the people…” Gemmo Fernandez, a UP Law Student said.--The Quintessence