Claims board fears ML memorial may be blocked

MANILA, Philippines — As the country is set to commemorate the declaration of martial law tomorrow, the Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB) has warned that “revisionists” could block the establishment of the planned martial law memorial. 

HRVCB executive director Carmelo Victor Crisanto said they are aware that some groups are blocking their efforts to memorialize the terrors of martial law under the Marcos regime decades ago. 

Crisanto, among the speakers of UP Day of Remembrance yesterday, said that while some may block the move, especially relatives of the late dictator in Congress, he hopes President Duterte would support the museum. 

“We appreciate him for following the law and supporting reparations. I hope that he would also support the memorialization,” he said. 

The martial law museum, mandated under Republic Act 10368, is set to rise within the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus. 

The UP Day of Remembrance was declared by UP president Danilo Concepcion last year in a bid to commemorate and honor the memory of those who struggled against the dictatorship. 

Concepcion signed Proclamation No. 1 in 2018 that declared Sept. 21 as UP Day of Remembrance that would serve as a reminder of the “importance of academic freedom, civil liberties and human rights as central to UP education.”

A National Day of Protest has been slated today at different UP campuses to commemorate the declaration of martial law under the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. 

UP Diliman chancellor Michael Tan also urged students to remember martial law and learn the struggles of freedom from the past.

On the other hand, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) released a situation report detailing the “atmosphere of suppression of human rights” in the country.

“The Philippines is failing to strengthen its democratic traditions. It is regressing in the promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights. Its elected leaders are shamelessly transgressing the rule of law and tilting the balance of power to favor the executive branch. Democratic institutions are under attack and those who try to protect and strengthen them are targeted, vilified and demonized,” TFDP said.

TFDP said the human rights situation midway through President Duterte’s term showed that “rules are circumvented to cater to the ‘whims’ of the highest official, or making ‘acceptable’ what is malicious imputation of imaginary crime or impeachment of virtue or reputation to silence them and to rouse public hatred, contempt and ridicule.”

“This could result in the shrinking of democratic space for meaningful engagement,” it said. – With Rhodina Villanueva