LOVE FOR JUSTICE OF JOSE RIZAL

Jose Rizal lived his life seeking for justice not just for their family but for all the Filipino people. Even before his childhood, Rizal already witnessed the cruelties done by the Spanish authorities to the Filipinos. In his early childhood, Rizal witness the injustice done through the death of GOMBURZA and the imprisonment of his mother. Because of the desire to Filipinize the Philippine parishes, Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora was executed by the Spanish authorities by the order of Governor General Izquierdo. This desire of the 3 fathers was a threat to the Spanish authorities and they considered it as a revolt against them. The martyrdom of GOMBURZA in 1872 really inspired Rizal to pursue justice and to fight the evil of Spanish tyranny to redeem the Filipino people. And later, in honor of the martyrdom of the GOMBURZA, Rizal dedicated this novel, El Filibusterismo, to them. Also, later that year in 1872, Doña Teodora, mother of Rizal, was suddenly arrested on a malicious charge that she and his brother, Jose Alberto, tried to poison his treacherous wife. For 2 years, his mother was arrested and suffered from the erroneous accusations. Rizal was exposed with this injustices that it became his inspiration to pursue his fight for justice for all the Filipino people. The way Rizal showed his desire for justice is through writing. He believed that through this, many Filipinos will considered these ideas and awaken their minds to fight for their rights. This were the foundations of Rizal that strengthened him and guided him to pursue his dreams for the Filipino people.

This love for justice of Rizal was practice in this institution. Ateneo de Davao University promotes social justice not for Mindanao but also in every part of the Philippines. ADDU is always aware of the situations going on in the country and state their own sentiments that will bring justice for all.

MAMASAPANO: A CHALLENGE TO STAND FOR PEACE http://www.addu.edu.ph/news-articles/mamasapano-challenge-stand-peace The Community Engagement and Advocacy Council and the undersigned officials, members and friends of the Ateneo de Davao University express their deepest sympathies to the bereaved families of those who perished in Brgy. Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao, last January 25, 2015. Those who died in the unnecessary violence were not just operatives of a Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police or warriors of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters or defenders of Moro Islamic Liberation Front. They were not just Christians or Muslims. They were Filipinos all. We weep with those who weep in the loss of their loved ones. In the silence of Pope Francis, we do not comprehend this. In our grieving, we beg the merciful and compassionate God of peace to grant us his consolation.
We pray that God continue to lead us into the way of peace. In Mindanao, it was a peace that was to result from addressing long-standing injustice together. In God’s name we have been traveling this journey towards peace. It has not been an easy journey. There have been many obstacles and pitfalls along the way. But agreements had already been forged no longer to settle our differences and seek solutions to our problems through guns and bloodshed. We had agreed that this would only lead us to more suffering and death. Instead we agreed to take the nobler path of democratic dialogue and negotiations towards a life of prosperity and peace. We agreed this in mutual trust. That is for us what Bangsamoro is about.
The Mamasapano violence came as the national effort to secure this peace in Mindanao through the enactment of a Bangsamoro Basic Law was coming to an end. With the Bangasamoro, we placed out trust in the wisdom of Congress to provide the legal framework within the ambit of our Constitution so that the Bangsamoro vision might be realized. Congressional hearings were taking place nationwide, and unprecedented competent multi-sectoral participation in the process had been elicited. The hope that dialogue, negotiations, trust and kept agreements could replace guns and violence was being realized.
Then, Mamasapano. Why Mamasapano? Why did we again take the path of guns and violence and covert secret action to solve any problem, when we had already chosen, we had already agreed, that we would take the path of negotiation, consultation and trust to solve problems? Why did we not respect what we agreed to in the Implementing Operational Guidelines of the 1997 GRP-MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities: “Police and military actions and administrative/logistic activities shall continue to be undertaken by the GRP throughout Mindanao and the entire country. In the pursuit thereof, confrontational situations between the GRP and the MILF forces shall be avoided by prior coordination with the latter.” (Article II)
Mamasapano was known to be a sensitive, volatile area, where the ideological lines of MILF and MNLF and BIFF are blurred by the bloodlines of traditional families with histories of violence. This is known in Maguindanao. It is known in Mindanao. It is known by the Philippine Military. It is known by the MILF. It is the type of problem that is solved not as a condition to the passage of the BBL but as a fruit of its passage. How then could a police action for any motivation have violated this agreement? Does the suspected presence of a terrorist wanted by the United States warrant that we break our agreements with the MILF? Does the bounty offered for terrorists make police invincible to the consequence of breaking our agreements? Do covert actions planned in Manila mean that we can set aside agreements in Mindanao with impunity?
Whoever bears responsibility for the mission order to our men in uniform recklessly violated the agreement we had with the MILF. That person bears responsibility for the carnage in Maguindanao. That person derails us from the path of peace the merciful and compassionate God leads us to. In God’s name, bring that person to justice.
Then, let us return to the work of peace. Now more than ever, nothing and no one must derail the peace process.
Our legislators must stay the course. In wisdom and courage. Nothing is gained by suspending the hearings and consultations on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law. Nothing is won by shirking the legislative responsibility of crafting and enacting the law that is the condition for peace in Mindanao.
WE STAND WITH THE NATION IN CALLING FOR JUSTICE FOR THOSE FILIPINOS WHO DIED IN MAMASAPANO. WE STAND WITH THE MILF IN CALLING FOR JUSTICE AND REPARATION FOR THE VIOLATION OF THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT IN THE MAMASAPANO POLICE ACTION. WE STAND WITH THE BANGSAMORO IN CALLING FOR A JUST AND LASTING PEACE.
IN THE NAME OF THE ONE GOD OF COMPASSION AND MERCY, WE CALL ON ALL TODAY TO STAND FOR PEACE.

SAF 44 kin march for justice
By Cecille Suerte Felipe (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 9, 2015 - 12:00am http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/03/09/1431520/saf-44-kin-march-justice#ixzz3TsytKbtf MANILA, Philippines - Families of the 44 slain Special Action Force (SAF) commandos are still crying for justice 44 days after the bloody encounter with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
Erica Pabalinas, widow of SAF team leader Chief Inspector Ryan Pabalinas, yesterday led the “March for Justice for SAF 44” where participants walked from the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters at Camp Crame to the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish church in Quezon City.
“While we all knew that their jobs were full of danger, never did we imagine that they would all be lost, 44 brave men in a tragic and brutal way. It has been 44 days and each day has not been easier. We wake up daily to the realization that we lost them for good,” Pabalinas told the crowd in an emotional speech.
She said the slain commandos’ families wake up to the reality that “we are not closer to knowing the truth.”
“Forty-four days later, we still don’t know who their killers are and many of us have not recovered the personal belongings of our brave men,” Pabalinas said.
She said the families and relatives of the slain policemen have eagerly been monitoring the progress of investigations on the Mamasapano incident.
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“Our hearts are more burdened as the days pass. Our cry for justice seems to be slipping from our grasp. We don’t seek to blame anybody; we seek justice. Why is that justice so hard to gain? Is the sacrifice of the fallen 44 not enough to merit justice? They serve for justice, but where is justice for them?” Pabalinas said, adding her three-year-old daughter Camille had lost the love of a father.
Pabalinas also thanked the PNP and other government sectors, as well as private individuals and groups for their assistance.
“Please know that all of you are appreciated. We want the government and national leaders to know that we do not want blood money. We families ask and seek one thing – truth and justice to be served,” she said.
Pabalinas also thanked the PNP Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI) for taking up the cause of justice for their loved ones as well as those who joined the solidarity march to show sympathy.
“We hope that soon, not 44 months, not 44 years, not forever, do we have to continue waiting so that truth and justice will be finally served for our brave fallen 44,” she said.
Pabalinas called on President Aquino to “help us gain justice and know the truth.”
Despite a last-minute call to back out and recall of permits for the event, the march went on with almost 1,000 people participating.
The PNPAAAI initiated the march with participants wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with “Walk with the widows, run for our heroes,” while carrying placards bearing the photos of the slain 44.
Running priest Fr. Robert Reyes also jogged along.
Reyes and his group joined the march and proceeded to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish for a mass.
Tomas Rentoy III, PNPAAAI chairman of the board, said the march turned out to be successful and peaceful despite the cancellation of permits and the call of a police official for their fellow PNPA graduates not to join the event.
“Despite many hindrances, we consider the sympathy march for justice for SAF44 successful,” Rentoy said. “There were so many obstacles thrown our way.”
He said they had secured several permits for the event, but “a few days before the march, our permits were recalled one after the other. We don’t know why.”
Rentoy said Senior Superintendent Jerome Baxinela, president of the Camp Crame chapter of the PNPAAAI, issued the call not to attend the march. He said Baxinela could be expelled from the association or end up ostracized.
Rentoy, a retired police general, explained that among cadets, being ostracized by alumni and batchmates is far worse because this translates to being considered nonexistent.
He said Baxinela’s infractions would be among the agenda of the meeting of board of trustees this week in preparation for the general assembly of the PNPA alumni homecoming on March 12.
While the group was trying to assemble outside the gate of Camp Crame, there were members of Gabriela holding placards denouncing the government.
A PNPA officer approached the leader of the militant group and requested them not to use the march for any political protest, to which the group obliged.
Rentoy revealed that last week, an officer of Bayan indicated the group’s intention to participate in the march.
Rentoy said he gave them guidelines, including the ban on anti-government slogans.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said the march was peaceful even though some militant groups participated in the event. Valmoria said the participants did not issue any grievances nor carry placards against the government as was agreed upon.
“There was no untoward incident reported in the march for the fallen SAF 44. The event was peaceful and orderly until the participants dispersed before lunchtime,” he said.
The killing of the 44 SAF operatives became the rallying cry of several groups calling for the resignation of President Aquino and other officials involved in the bloody police operation.
The 44 policemen were part of a team of SAF operatives on a mission to capture one of world’s most wanted terrorists hiding in a remote village in Mamasapano.
Although the target, Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, was killed, the raiding policemen were waylaid by Muslim rebels while on their way out of Mamasapano on Jan. 25.
The operation became the focus of investigations by the PNP and the Senate. –With Non Alquitran, Christina Mendez