Marcos calls on Filipinos to demand accountability, uphold truth
President Marcos urged Filipinos on Thursday to continue fighting for their independence by demanding accountability from public servants while always upholding the truth.
Speaking at Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park in a program marking the 127th anniversary of the country’s declaration of independence, Mr. Marcos also called on Filipinos to battle against indifference.
“Our freedom and democracy, just like our love for our native land, should be cherished, guarded, and fought for—because the real enemy of freedom is indifference. Indifference to the plight of the people, indifference to the state of our fellow Filipinos, indifference to the welfare of our nation,” he said.
Another challenge to independence, the President said, was the proliferation of fake news and disinformation.
“Let us always be critical and find out the truth for ourselves. Let us fight the lies. Let us choose to be honest, even if no one is looking. Let us make a principled stand especially in the face of wrongdoing. Let us choose unity amid differences,” he said.
In her Independence Day message, Vice President Sara Duterte issued a veiled message, calling on Filipinos to defend the country’s freedom from “traitors.”
“We have been proud of our independence all over the world,” she said. “Let us not surrender this freedom to traitors and to those who have no concern for our country and fellow countrymen,” she said.
Duterte also reminded Filipinos that Philippine independence should be honored by not letting their rights be violated and “enslaved by a few.”
From teaming up in 2022 to run for the two highest positions in the land, the President and Duterte have since become politically estranged, with the latter blaming Mr. Marcos for her father’s arrest by the International Criminal Court and her ongoing impeachment trial.
Nation’s enemies
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, on the other hand, said that while most Filipinos may not be called upon to go to war, they should still show courage and unwavering dedication in helping the vulnerable and facing the nation’s enemies: corruption, apathy, and internal abuse.
“Our enemy is not only the foreign forces that seek to conquer us, but also the corruption, apathy, and abuse we see in our own backyard. Today, the change we long for is no longer won solely on the battlefield, it can also be achieved in the courts, in schools, and wherever else, if we truly desire it,” he said.
For Senate President Francis Escudero, unity and collaboration are more crucial than ever, given the current political developments in the country.
“Instead of blaming each other or resorting to division, let us advance healing for a brighter future. More than ever, we must unite to address the needs of our countrymen and promote order and prosperity,” Escudero said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assured Filipinos that they will continue to uphold democracy and protect citizens’ rights through meaningful legislation.
In a statement, Romualdez said the House has backed reforms promoting transparency and accountability to honor the struggle of the nation’s forebears. —WITH REPORTS FROM CHARIE ABARCA AND GABRIEL PABICO LALU
