Presidential aspirant and Senator Manny Pacquiao on Thursday visited the marker of Martial Law human rights victim Fr. Rudy Roma in Cebu, saying atrocities should be remembered to protect human dignity and freedom.
In a statement, Pacquiao said the wounds suffered by Martial law victims can be healed but these are “forever scathed.”
He added that it’s only right to give the martial law victims the justice they deserve.
Pacquiao offered a prayer and a wreath during his visit to Roma’s marker in Barangay Tisa in Cebu City.
“Ayokong magbanggit ng pangalan, pero itong pagpunta ko rito ay pagbibigay respeto at simbolo ng Kalayaan ng bawat isa. Ito ay nagsisimboilo ng karapatan ng bawat isa, karapatan ng malayang pagpapahayag ng saloobin. Mensahe natin irespeto ang karapatan ng bawat isa, Lahat may karapatan na mabuhay ng walang takot,” the lawmaker said.
(I don’t want to mention any names but my visit here is meant to respect the symbol of freedom. This marker symbolizes the right of every Filipino to expression. Our message is to respect the rights of everybody. All of us have the right to live without fear.)
Among the presidential aspirants that Pacquiao will run against is former Senator Bongbong Marcos, the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
“Freedom of speech ay dapat protektado. Puwede tayong maglabas ng opinyon sa publiko na hindi tayo natatakot na maipakulong,” Pacquiao said.
(We should protect freedom of speech. We can express our opinion to public freely, without the fear of being incarcerated.)
The senator said he is willing to support any investigation on several cases of disappearances during the Marcos regime.
“Sundin natin ang batas, Magimbestiga tayo para malaman kung sino ang mga dapat na parusahan,” he added.
(Let’s follow the law. Let’s investigate to know who should be held accountable for this.)
Marcos enforced Martial law in 1972.
According to GMA News Research, late Senators Ninoy Aquino, Jose Diokno, Francisco Rodrigo, several businesspersons, lawyers, journalists and teachers were imprisoned during Marcos’ regime.
The book “Dark Legacy: Human Rights Under the Marcos Regime” by Alfred McCoy and reports by Amnesty International recorded 3,200 victims of extrajudicial killings, 77,000 political detainees, 3,500 torture victims, and more than 700 disappearances from 1975 to 1985. -NB, GMA News
Pacquiao says Martial Law atrocities must be remembered to protect human dignity, freedom
Source: Pinoy Hub News
0 Comments