UP 'Day of Remembrance' has protests, plans for memorial

MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines on Friday marked its first “Day of Remembrance” with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a memorial for human rights victims under martial law.

UP president Danilo Concepcion and Human Rights Violations Victims Memorial Commission chair Rene Escalante led the signing at Palma Hall in the Diliman campus. The memorandum made UP the home for a planned memorial for victims of human rights violations under the regime of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The snake rally makes its way back to the A.S. Lobby. #NeverAgain #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/bbVpP0I6wW

— Rebel Kulê (@phkule) September 21, 2018

"The sacrifice of those who fought in the darkest of nights to protest will never be washed away from our consciousness,” Concepcion said in Filipino. He also said that UP was where activism and opposition started and burst forth during the “time of abuse of Marcos.”

Concepcion was earlier in hot water for his appearance at a reunion of Kabataang Barangay with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos. He was a member of the youth group that Imee headed. He was later youth representative to the Interim Batsang Pambansa.

The declaration of Day of Remembrance was one of the measures Concepcion mentioned in his apology for his appearance at the controversial reunion.

Escalante, for his part, said that they are looking towards the establishment of the memorial in less than two years.

It will also include a conference room and a library that will house archives for students to extensively research on the martial law years.

READ: Youth groups to Marcos: We haven't moved on

Pimentel: Martial law changed my life

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also attended the event to witness the signing of the MOU. He said that he was invited for his part in pushing for laws for reparations for human rights victims under martial law. Pimentel was chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights.

Pimentel, an alumnus of the UP College of Law, thanked UP for giving a home to “fulfil the mandate under our laws that a memorial—a physical place that can be visited by old and young—so we can never forget the abuses, violence, evils and repressions during the Marcos martial law years.”

He also said that the martial law has greatly affected his life and of his father, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.. The elder Pimentel, founder of the then opposition PDP-Laban party, was arrested four times during the Marcos administration.

The senator recalled wondering: “Bakit ba naaresto ang mga tao dahil gusto lang ng isang tao na ipakulong?”

(Why would someone be jailed just because someone else wanted them jailed?)

This, he said, prompted him to pursue Law.

UP Day of Remembrance activities

Students in UP campuses across the country also held rallies on Friday.

Bearing placards that read “Never Again” and “Never Forget,” students marched along university halls to condemn martial law.

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Meanwhile, the UP School of Economics Student Council published infographics debunking popular myths on economy under the rule of Marcos.

The post has been shared more than 11,000 times since it was published.

Concepcion on Thursday signed a memorandum saying that members of the UP community who wish to participate in activities on the day of remembrance may be excused from their work or classes.

READ: Ateneo, DLSU presidents: Do not gloss over abuses, horror of Martial Law