Alan Peter Cayetano FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has likened his group’s struggle at the Senate to the hardships faced by former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino who was martyred in 1983, raising the famous “Laban” sign to stress that they have to keep on fighting.
In a livestream on his Facebook account on Friday, Independence Day, Cayetano said that a question that always pops up in their quest for independence and truth to all issues — whether it is the flood control mess and Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment — is whether the cost of all these things are worth it.
In those instances, Cayetano said he is reminded by the famous quote from Aquino, that the Filipino is worth fighting for. Aquino was actually famous for another line — that “the Filipino is worth dying for” — and it was his son, former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who said the quote that Cayetano mentioned.
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“You know, with what we are going through right now, not only for Senate independence but for the truth behind the flood control issue to come out, to fight against the administration, a little bit of silence is paradise for us. But the question is, is the cost worth it?” he asked, speaking Filipino.
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“I mentioned earlier what Senator Benigno Aquino said that the Filipino is worth fighting for. So that’s why now and then, I hope others would not get offended, I will really use the Laban sign because we have to continue fighting,” Cayetano added, while making an “L” with his hand, which was a symbol of the resistance during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
According to Cayetano, they have to keep fighting as it is worth it, reminding the public that the country is a product of hope that stemmed after the time of Marcos Sr.
Marcos, father of incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ruled the country for over two decades until he was ousted in a peaceful revolution led by opposition figures, including Aquino’s widow, former president Corazon Aquino.
“We will continue fighting, it’s worth it. We have to continue fighting. You know, we are a product of hope. We have to have hope, everyone needs hope, it’s the end if you do not have it. And to many, during the 70s, 80s, just giving out the ‘Laban’ sign means a lot, it means there’s someone who is still fighting,” Cayetano said mostly in Filipino.
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“So even during our daily fight in the Senate where the truth slowly comes out, that they allowed the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] to go inside, former Senate President (Vicente) Sotto, it was coordinated. The Wednesday, May 13 incident which was blamed on us when they knew there were armed people outside, there were calls to investigate but until now it has not been investigated,” he added.
Later on, Cayetano referenced his group’s challenges to the struggle for Philippine independence, saying that what they were doing is the “modern day version” of the fight of the country’s forefathers against Spanish, American, and Japanese rule.
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“They have been saying this repeatedly, if you do not have 13, you cannot change the officers — not only the Senate President, but the officers are the head of OSAA (Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms), the Senate Secretary, Senate President Pro Tempore which is Senator Loren Legarda, and the Senate President. But they made another formula where 12 senators can do it,” he added.
“So this is the modern day version of what people were fighting for during the Spanish-Japanese time, American times, the fight against lies. So during the Spanish times, they say we were not organized, we do not know governance, we don’t know Christianity. So all of that were partially true, but you didn’t need to colonize a country to Christianize a country, right?” he said.
Last May 11, the Minority led by Cayetano was able to muster enough votes to oust former Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who did not show up to the Senate for six months, went to the Senate and proved to be a significant factor as he delivered the 13th vote for Cayetano.
Chaos, however, marred Cayetano’s early days as Senate chief. On May 13, gunshots were heard inside the Senate, as with the former Senate President and his colleagues claiming that the chamber was under attack from NBI personnel stationed at the adjacent Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said that GSIS management was the one who asked them to secure the building amid a possible commotion in the nearby Senate building.
Both the Senate and the GSIS building are located within the GSIS compound in Pasay City.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada said that the Majority bloc in the Senate supports Acting Sergeant-at-Arms Ma.O Aplasca, as they believe that the actions taken by the f…
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