DAGUPAN CITY-- Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese slammed martial law declared 45 years ago today and expressed hope that it would be the last imposed in the country.
In his homily during a noon-day mass Thursday at the Saint John Metropolitan Cathedral here, Villegas said "martial law destroyed our national value and ruined our integrity”.
He recalled that when he and the other elder people today were just children, they were compelled to celebrate September 21 as "Araw ng Pasasalamat (Thanksgiving Day)”.
He said they were told that the reason for this was the supposed coming of the new society where discipline was observed but in those years, the truth was opposition was silenced.
The streets, he said, were very clean but the authorities just hid the garbage in the dumping sites.
"Our elders spoke in whispers for fear someone was spying. We had elections but we knew the results even before the ballots were cast," Villegas said.
He added that television and radio were censored and newspapers were controlled.
Martial law, the archbishop said, was all about murders and lies, hidden wealth, fake medals and dictatorship.
He added, however, that those years of killings and falsehood also brought the best in the Filipino people in so many ways. Some even became martyrs so that the country could regain its freedom.
He said these martyrs refused to bow down to the authoritarian rule through their courage and conviction and sacrificed their dear lives.
“For the martyrs of martial law, we offer our thanks giving to the Lord,” Villegas said.
He also mentioned the supposed victims of so-called extra-judicial killings in the country today.
“We voted for change and we should demand for change. Do not tolerate abuses. Demand the change that they promised," Villegas urged the faithful. (PNA)
* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at
www.wirenine.comLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=109609.0
