Aquino: Country facing crossroads

MANILA, Philippines  — President Aquino rallied the people yesterday to press on with the “unfinished” EDSA revolution to achieve reforms, conceding that the country remains on the “crossroads” 26 years after the historic first people power uprising ousted a dictator and restored democracy in the country.

“This is our time. This is our EDSA. Let’s go, Filipinos,” the President said in a speech at the People Power Monument in Quezon City where key personalities in EDSA 1 relived the events that led to the downfall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986.

“The country is facing crossroads: On one direction, a filthy road where the influential holds the scale of justice and those who skirt the law benefit from it. On the other side, the straight path where the rules are clear, justice is impartial and those who committed mistakes are made accountable,” the President said.

Aquino reminded the people that martial law during the Marcos regime had flourished and caused so much suffering because the people had chosen to be silent until 1986.

“Like what was said before: If you’re not going to take action, who else will? If not now, when? Let us act now before everything is too late. Let us act now, to immediately leave the dark past. Let us act now, so a bright future will shine on our race the soonest time possible,” the President said. “And at present, this revolution remains unfinished.

Freedom from poverty, freedom from poverty, freedom from lack of opportunity to improve, freedom from lack of justice, these are what we are fighting for now,” he said.

“It is clear: The miracle of EDSA will be put to waste if we are not going to enrich it and take care of it. Democracy is useless if change does not happen to the majority,” the President said.

Aquino stressed the country cannot afford to backslide and let abuses and corruption reign again in government. He said such scenario is possible if the people choose to remain as passive observers.

And while there was no mention of Chief Justice Renato Corona in his speech, Aquino took a jab at him by saying the judiciary was one of the institutions needing immediate reforms.

Corona is on trial by the Senate acting as impeachment court. He is being accused of various impeachable offenses including showing partiality toward former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in some court decisions and failing to disclose some of his bank accounts and real estate holdings.

In his recent speeches, Aquino had publicly derided Corona for allegedly using his position as chief magistrate to save Arroyo from prosecution.

Aquino said that while the country’s system after EDSA may not be perfect, the people now have the means to correct mistakes in the past and to chart their future.

“If you want the old system to persist, go ahead and play deaf. Play blind. Do not speak. But if you agree that there was something wrong in the system that we found and we need to straighten it: Let’s go, let’s protest. Let’s participate. Let’s correct this,” the President said.

Aside from judicial reforms, Aquino said the country should address even more the problems of hunger and poverty.

“After more than two and a half decades, what is now the state of democracy that we fought for in this avenue? Yes, there are no more gags on radio and television. No one controls anymore as to what can be read in newspapers. But are we free from hunger?

Are we free from poverty? Are we free from the unscrupulous who deliberately play with our justice system? Sacrifice, honesty and dedication: These are what we should shower our democracy to make it grow,” he said. “Unity, concern for others and love of country: These are what we should pour for the legacy of EDSA to bear fruits,” the President said.

Not just Ninoy’s, Cory’s fight

After the events at the People Power Monument, Aquino attended the ceremonies honoring his parents, Benigno Jr. and Corazon, and the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, in Intramuros, Manila.

Aquino’s mother was catapulted to power in 1986 after Marcos was toppled. The assassination of her husband three years earlier – believed to be on orders of Marcos –triggered almost daily street protests against the dictatorship.  (FREEMAN)