Aquino leads EDSA 1 anniversary amid ouster calls

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday led the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the first People Power Revolution amid calls for his resignation following the Mamasapano debacle.

Aquino arrived at the People Power Monument at Camp Aguindalo in Quezon City past 11:30 a.m. for a wreath-laying ceremony to honor all past heroes including the military personnel who were at the 1986 revolution.

He then proceeded to the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas for a mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

The nation is remembering the triumphant struggle that toppled the Marcos dictatorship while Aquino himself is now facing ouster calls over his ineptitude in handling Mamasapano operation that killed 44 Special Action Force troopers.

But on the eve of the EDSA revolution anniversary, Aquino called for unity among Filipinos amid the calls for his resignation.

"Ngunit ngayon pa ba tayo susuko kung kailan ang mga dating inaambisyon lang,  naisasakatuparan na natin? Ngayon pa ba tayo aatras kung kailan mas marami na tayong nakikilahok tungo sa malawakang kaunlaran?" Aquino said in his speech during the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations awarding ceremonies at the Palace on Tuesday.

Aquino said he has lived up to the spirit of the historic revolution that catapulted his mother to the presidency.

He said in regaining democracy through a peaceful uprising against the dictatorial rule of the Marcos regime, the interest of the majority prevailed, along with freedom from a crooked system that could be passed on to the next generation.

"Interes ng mas nakakarami, kalayaan mula sa baluktot na kalakaran, magandang kinabukasan para sa susunod na henerasyon: ang mga ito ang isinaalang-alang ng mga nakipaglaban sa EDSA noong taong 1986," Aquino said.

"At bilang pinuno ng ating bansa, ang ganitong diwa ng EDSA ang ating isinasabuhay sa pagharap sa mga hamon ng ating panahon," he added.

He said the mistakes of the past should not be repeated.

"Ito nga ang tangi nating hangad: Ang hindi na maulit pa ang kamalian ng nakaraan, at maipamana sa susunod na salinlahi ang di-hamak na mas maunlad at magandang Pilipinas kaysa ating dinatnan," he said.