Press Release
August 21, 2009

ROXAS: 'TULOY ANG LABAN'
QUEST FOR BETTER LIFE IS OUR FIGHT

Senator Mar Roxas today vowed to carry on the Filipino people's quest for democracy and a better life as he leads the Liberal Party and the nation in honoring the late Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino on the 26th anniversary of his death.

Roxas is also leading the commemoration of the Plaza Miranda bombing that happened 38 years ago during an LP campaign rally on August 21, 1971. The incident caused 9 deaths and injured 95 others, among them former Senate President Jovito Salonga, the late Sen. and LP president Gerardo Roxas and Sergio Osmeña, Jr., son of former President Sergio Osmeña.

"Today, we run our hands over the scars of our past. Huwag sanang makalimutan ng mga susunod na henerasyon ng Pilipino ang simpleng katotohanan: Nagbuwis si Ninoy para sa ating lahat (Let the next generations not forget the simple truth: Ninoy sacrificed his life for all of us)," Roxas said.

Aquino was Secretary-General of the Liberal Party when he returned to the country on August 21, 1983 after a three-year self-imposed exile in the United States.

"Alam niya ang panganib ng kanyang pag-uwi pero nangahas siyang umuwi dahil alam niyang kailangan ng tinig ng oposisyon ng mga panahon na iyon. Hindi pa siya nakakatapak sa lupa ng bansang minahal niya nang barilin siya sa ulo (Ninoy knew the danger he faced but still he returned home because he knew the country needed him. He had yet to step in the land he loved when he was gunned down)," Roxas said.

The Visayan senator that while Filipinos are known to have short memory retention, "ngayon sama-sama tayong umaalala (now are united in reminiscing the past)", pointing out the recent passing of the late President Corazon Aquino has awaken the Filipinos' desire for genuine reforms, especially in the midst of the political turmoil affecting the country.

"It hurts to remember the people we have lost. Lalo na ngayong sariwang-sariwa pa rin ang sugat. But we have to. Dahil iyan ang pinakamahalagang ambag sa atin ng kasaysayan: Hindi maaaring umusad kung hindi aalalahanin ang dinaanan (Especially now that the wound has yet to heal - It's the most important contribution to our history, that nothing will move forward unless we remember our past)," he said.

Roxas urged the Filipino nation to never forget the sacrifices and contributions of the Aquino couple to the country, stressing that this is important "so we may never forget what we had to go through in order to enjoy the freedoms we do today."

"And to remind ourselves: Hindi pa tapos ang laban (The fight is not over). All the wounds, all the deaths - Tita Cory's, Ninoy's, the 9 who died in Plaza Miranda - their sacrifices will not be in vain. Nasa kamay natin ngayon ang kinabukasan. Lalaban tayo (The future is in our hands. I will fight for this better future)," he said.

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