ON THE eve of the oral arguments on petitions against the Marcos burial at the Supreme Court, the Transitory Government of the Sanggunian led the Ateneo community as well as individuals and organizations along Katipunan Avenue in a prayer vigil on August 30.
The prayer vigil is part of the Coalition Against the Marcos Burial in Libingan ng Mga Bayani’s “A Nationwide Call to Prayer.” The coalition also organized the Citizens’ Assembly at Luneta on August 14.
Volunteer organizer Luis Enriquez (3 AB DS) said, “Actually, this prayer vigil is our own chapter [of] what’s happening in Our Lady of Loreto Church in Manila. So for those of us who can’t go to Manila, we decided to have for us a smaller event here in Katipunan.”
United in prayer
Participants gathered at the Church of the Gesu at the start of the prayer vigil. They mobilized towards Gate 3.5, as Atenean martyrs during the Martial Law were named and prayed over.
“This was something organized [on] very short notice and we’re happy that a good number came up to show their support,” Enriquez said.
Similarly, Sanggunian External Affairs Deputy for Advocacy Management Karin Bangsoy thanked Fr. Patrick Falguera, SJ, who invited the Jesuit scholastics, Miriam College for their attendance despite the short notice, and other organizations and communities that “really have a heart for this issue.”
“We hope that the Ateneo community will not let this issue die down,” Bangsoy said.
“This prayer vigil means that we think that this is an important issue and that we will be vigilant in watching the oral arguments. Our efforts will not stop here,” Bangsoy added.
The Sanggunian had also encouraged Ateneans to wear white on the same day.
Raising awareness
Moreover, Bangsoy wishes that during the oral arguments, the judges will take their time to listen, put aside any political bias, and remember the injustices committed during the Martial Law. She explained that the decision on Marcos’ burial will have a toll on the nation’s future.
“What we’re interested in is not really the polarizing discourse: Pro- or anti-, ‘they don’t remember’ or ‘they didn’t forget’. We believe that it is not the way to move forward. Para sa amin lang, we really want to raise awareness on the truth of what happened during Martial Law,” Bangsoy said.
On raising awareness on this truth, Enriquez said that one does not have to be “officially part” of the Sanggunian, organizations, or political parties to make a stand. According to him, awareness should start as a “personal initiative.”
“Kung mayroon man sa inyong nangangambang magsalita, hindi kayo nag-iisa. Magkakasama tayo bilang isang komunidad na tumatayo at naninindigan ukol sa mga isyung panlipunan. At sana mayroong kahit [kaunting] pagbabago tayong maiudyok sa lipunan,” Enriquez said.
(If you are anxious to speak up, know that you are not alone. We come together as one community in our conviction on certain societal issues. And hopefully we can spark change, no matter how small it is, in our society.)
