Hindi solusyon ang Martial Law sa problema ng Bansa – Bam Aquino

Opposition senators on Friday insisted that martial law would never be a solution to the country’s most pressing problems.

Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV reiterated this message as the country commemorates the 46th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

“Hindi naging sagot ang martial law noon, at lalong hindi siya sagot ngayon. (Martial law was not the solution to the problems before and more so it is not the solution to today’s most pressing problems),” Aquino said.

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“Malubha pa rin ang sakit ng taumbayan, at lalong tumitindi ang kahirapan (The nation’s illnesses are still serious, and poverty is getting worse),” the senator said.

During martial law, Aquino pointed out that there were 3,320 victims of extrajudicial killings, 34,000 cases of torture, 70,000 cases of illegal detention, 75,730 cases of human rights violations and debt of around P395-billion, which is equivalent to more than P3-trillion in today’s money.

“Hanggang ngayon, binabayaran pa rin natin ang utang ng Marcos regime, habang pumipila ang mga Pilipino para sa bigas na may bukbok at nalulunod po sa gastos ang napakaraming mahihirap na pamilya. (Until now, we are still paying the debts incurred by the Marcos regime, while Filipinos queue for weevil-infested rice and families are reeling from high prices of basic goods and commodities),” the senator said.

“Kawalan ng epektibong plano, kawalan ng political will, at kawalan ng puso ng mga lingkod bayan at puso para sa mahihirap ang mga sanhi ng krisis natin ngayon, (the lack of effective planning, political will and heart for public service and for the poor is the reason why we are experiencing a crisis right now),” the lawmaker stressed.

Detained Senator Leila de Lima, another vocal critic of the Duterte administration, urged the public to remember the nation’s plight under Marcos’ martial law and prevent a repeat of this dark and painful experience under the present regime.

“Sa ilalim ng kani-kanilang pamumuno ay bumagsak ang ekonomiya, nagtaasan ang presyo ng mga bilihin, nawalan ng trabaho ang marami, at may higit pang bilang ang hindi tiyak ang hanapbuhay at pabahay. Parehong berdugo ng mahihirap. Parehong pahirap (Under their rule the economy was at its worst, the prices of goods shot up, a lot of Filipinos lost their jobs and the number of those who are uncertain of their livelihood and housing was also high. Both were executioners of the poor. Both were oppressors),” de Lima said in her separate statement for the martial law anniversary.

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“But Duterte is not simply Marcos version 2. In just a matter of a little more than two years into his presidency, Duterte has proven to be a worse monster than his idol. He is a foul-mouthed, chronically lying, incurably misogynistic, criminally minded, and shameless fascist and tyrant,” she said.

“No wonder he copies everything that Marcos did, wala kasi s’yang sariling matinong pag-iisip, kundi sunod-sunuran lang din sa mga mapera, makapangyarihan at maimpluwensyang naglagay sa kanya sa kapangyarihan (because he cannot think sensibly but would rather choose to follow the whims of the wealthy, and influential who helped him rise to power),” added the detained senator.

De Lima said the only way the country can ensure that the lessons under the Marcos dictatorship would not be forgotten and that the tragic experiences the country is suffering under the current tyranny of Duterte is stopped is by fighting for the country’s democracy.

source : manila bulletin