President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to give the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial was met with several oppositions. One of those who voiced out his contradicting views is Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and he did not mince words.
“Burying a murderer and a thief in the Libingan ng mga Bayani is not moving on,” Pangilinan said.
“It is teaching our children to honor murderers and plunderers,” he added.
Duterte said earlier that the Ilocanos resented the fact that Marcos was not buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, creating a “division among our people.”
However, Pangilinan said that this move will still fail to create unity among the Filipinos.
“It is not going to heal the nation nor will it unite us… it will only deeply divide us, reopen deep wounds of those who suffered, causing them to relieve the gnawing pain and memory of loved ones jailed, tortured, murdered, salvaged or who disappeared because of the arrogance, tyranny and oppression of the dictatorship,” the senator said. He concluded this Facebook post with a hit to the Marcoses and their lack of remorse over their role during the Martial Law.
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“How can one forgive when there is neither remorse nor atonement on the part of the Marcos family?” Pangilinan said.
This August 6 post has gained 5,600 reactions and 2,788 shares, as of writing.
In a separate Facebook post, the senator posed what seemed like a question to parents, who have to deal with the dilemma caused by having Marcos buried as a hero.
“So if our children ask us why are we burying an ousted and reviled dictator in a place reserved for the heroes of our nation, how do we explain this to them?” Pangilinan wrote.
The senator emphasized the parents’ important role of teaching their kids what’s right and what’s wrong, which is why he made a stand against honoring Marcos as a hero.
“In my simple view, as parents we [are] our children’s first teacher and it is our responsibility and obligation as parents to teach our children the difference between what is right and what is wrong by living it in our own lives. We will be unable to teach them the distinction if we look the other way and stay quiet or if we simply accept the wrong when such a wrong is being perpetuated. Thus I take a stand even if many others may take this stand against me,” Pangilinan said.
He added that he does not want a world for his kids where it can be confusing to tell what’s right from wrong, causing him to oppose Duterte’s decision on the Marcos burial.
“I cannot teach my children right from wrong if I myself do not stand up against what I believe to be wrong and do not push for and express what I believe to be right. I do not wish for my children to grow up unclear about or unable to tell the difference between right and wrong. Now that’s me and others are free to disagree,” Pangilinan concluded.
As of writing, this particular Facebook post has gained 1,500 reactions and 539 shares.
Sources: (facebook.com, news.abs-cbn.com, web.facebook.com)
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