[SELDA] Martial Law victims recall human rights violations on late dictator's birthday, denounces Bongbong's plan for presidency

[KARAPATAN Public Information]

PRESS RELEASE

11 September 2021

Reference: 

Danilo Dela Fuente

SELDA Vice Chairperson

0906-4030744/0949-9302644

Martial Law victims recall human rights violations on late dictator's birthday, denounces Bongbong's plan for presidency

Former Martial Law victims under the Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) recalled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos's tyrannical reign and reminded the nation to "reject all forms of Marcosian tactics and historical lies" on his birth anniversary.

"It is with utmost rage and condemnation that we remember this day. For us who were among those who challenged his fascist reign, Marcos's birth date reminds us of the countless human rights violations and massive plunder that his regime had committed. Under his regime, thousands of Filipinos had been illegally arrested, detained, tortured, killed, and forcibly disappeared. The nation's coffers were also emptied and the national debt ballooned due to his family's lavish lifestyle and his cronies' corruption. His evil shadow still haunts us to this day," said Danilo dela Fuente, SELDA's national vice chairperson and group's spokesperson.

Dela Fuente also said that they would never forget how this administration has shown its Marcos fanaticism by supporting the Marcoses and allowing the corpse of the late dictator to be given a hero's burial. 

"It is outrageous to see how the current administration of Rodrigo Duterte shamelessly professed his love for the late dictator by coddling tha latter's family and patterning his so-called governance from the late dictator's reign of terror. Furthermore, it is utterly infuriating that this administration is sponsoring a bill to "honor" Ferdinand Marcos, despite his bloody records. The worsening state of human rights violations, the ongoing spate of killings, outward red-tagging spree, and spread of malicious lies  are nothing short of a Marcosian rule. Amidst the worsening pandemic, this administration was even able to replicate how Marcos worsened the economy by putting us in trillions of debt. It feels like we're trapped in a nightmare," he stressed. 

The SELDA official also lambasted Bongbong Marcos's "delusional" plan to seek the presidency. 

"His latest statements and delusions only show his air of braggadocio and nothing else. He already lost his vice presidential bid before, mainly because of the Filipino people's resistance to his family's historical lies and schemes to politically rehabilitate their blood-stained records. If he formally files his candidacy, we won't hesitate to campaign against him. We cannot allow a sore loser and a dictator's despicable son to run this country," he said. 

"The Marcoses and the Dutertes as well as their cohorts might join forces in rewriting history, but we will not forget nor cower. We, the victims of Marcos's martial law, will never forget the atrocities committed by the Marcoses and their cronies. Together with the Filipino people, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold truth, justice, and human rights, and continue to defy past and present fascist regimes. ###

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