Youth involvement in national issues, fight against dictatorship sought

THE FILIPINO youth should be involved in national issues and should take on the lead of resisting dictatorship and human rights violation, Commission on Human Rights Chairman Jose Luis Martin Gascon said.

“Importante para sa kabataan ngayon ay alamin ang isyung pambansa at makialam, magmasid, mag-aral, tukuyin ang mga suliranin at problema, at hanapin ang kinauukulang mga aksyon,” Gascon told the Spiral Journal.

“May bagong henerasyon, yung mga kabataan—sila ang dapat mamuno ngayon sa pamamagitan ng pagmamasid, pagkilos, at paghanap sa mapayapang paraan ng pagbabago,” he added.

Unveiling of Jose Diokno monument

Gascon led the unveiling ceremonies of former senator Jose Diokno's monument in the celebration of the victorious struggle of the people who fought for freedom during the Marcos regime.

The celebration last Sept. 21 is also the 45th year of Martial law commemoration.

“[E]ven if it’s the declaration of Martial Law, what we are actually celebrating is instead, the struggle of the people, the victorious struggle of our people for our freedom, democracy, and human rights, exemplified by Ka-Pepe,” Gascon said in his speech during the commemoration.

In a press release by the Commission on Human Rights dated Sept. 20, Gascon said Jose “Ka-Pepe” Diokno is worth emulating because he took on the lead of resisting dictatorship during the Marcos regime.

“Ka-Pepe was a legal luminary who worked relentlessly to build an active resistance of citizens that was necessary to make the anti-dictatorship movement emerge and ultimately triumph,” the press release read. Diokno should be a role model for the youth to boost public morale and values, he said.

“[K]ung may matutunan po sila sa buhay ni Ka-Pepe, gawin nila yan, alamin, kilalanin si Ka-Pepe. Ipalaganap yung mga ginawa niya, alamin kung paano sila pu-pwedeng maging Ka-Pepe at hubugin ang mundo ngayon sa isang pangarap na makatao at makatarungan,” Gascon said.

Gascon said the Diokno Freedom Park located at the Commission on Human Rights will be forever dedicated to the memory of Ka-Pepe and everyone who fought for human rights.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Commission for the Culture and Arts signed an agreement to create the memorial statue in honor of Diokno, the first chairman of the Philippine Committee for Human Rights, a predecessor institution of the Commission on Human Rights.