Loren: EDSA belongs to the people, not the elite

Senator Loren Legarda today scored the Liberal Party for desecrating the spirit of EDSA by using the event to advertise its candidates.

"Let us not be misled by claims that People Power emanated from a few elite families. As the name aptly suggests, the credit belongs to the people. Candidates running for public office should not bastardize the true spirit of EDSA by free-riding on the commemoration of this most important episode in our history. What they are doing goes against the very meaning of EDSA which is genuine democracy, the participation of civil society, and the empowerment of the Filipino people," she said.

Loren further said that LP candidates "attempt to distort history and make a carnival out of this sacred event to boost their propaganda machine."

NP guest senatorial candidate and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo agreed, cautioning the LP from "owning" EDSA I as this historical event was not headed by a particular group.

"Ang EDSA I ay isang specific na event na hindi pinangunahan ng isang partikular na grupo. Walang may franchise sa EDSA I. It is not theirs (LP)," Ocampo said during a press conference yesterday in Balete, Aklan.

Ocampo issued the statement amid reports that the camp of LP presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III, the son of former president Cory Aquino, would use the event to further his political ambition.

"Cory was a by-product of EDSA I, of a people's movement basically. Maraming unresolved na issues. EDSA I is not dead not because it has to be revived but because the expectations that were raised have not been fully realized," Ocampo said.

The son of detained Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, Martin, also appealed to LP "not to exploit" the celebration of the EDSA revolution.

"I would like to appeal to the Liberal Party to stop exploiting historical events like these to their advantage. I think it is unfair to the country, to the rest of the Filipino people to continue to exploit events like these just to boost their politics," he said during the same press conference.

"I think whatever significance an event has [it has] to stay at that. It cannot be utilized for the political agenda of a certain party just because they want their ratings to go up again," he added.

The young Querubin echoed the statements of Ocampo that the LP does not own the EDSA Revolution.

"Hindi naman kanila lang iyon. It belongs to the Filipino people, not to the Liberal Party. And I think it is very unfair, an insult to the intellect of the Filipino people to continue to exploit events like this to their advantage. And I hope they stop doing that because it leaves a bad taste in the mouth," he said.