GRACE POE'S STATEMENT ON SEN. JOVITO SALONGA'S PASSING

I grieve with the nation over the demise of former Senate President Jovito Salonga.

He has lived through the most tumultuous years in the nation's history, yet he remained enduring and inspiring positive change.

He galvanized the Filipino people to pursue a path of freedom by fighting Martial Law and by leading the Senate to end the decades of the dominance of the US military bases in the country.

I will always remember his famous words: "We cannot and do not deserve freedom unless we are prepared to fight for it, to suffer for it and, if necessary, to die for it."

Let us relive in our deeds his ultimate legacy: the power of freedom.