Bahay na Pula and the Malaya Lolas

The Bahay na Pula in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, with its red  walls almost gone,  still   stands as   a house with a dark and  painful history.

Red is a very emotionally intense color of fire and blood as it is associated with war, death  and danger.  

Built in 1929, it is a big, ancient two-floor house owned by the Ilusorio family standing solitary on a  hacienda with tall, huge tamarind, camachile and duhat trees that  grew around it

It was made largely out of wood and painted red on the outside, giving it its name.

Lola Lita Vinuya, 80 years old, narrated to  the group Flowers for Lolas  the wartime ordeal they suffered during the Second World War.

In Nov. 23, 1944,  the Imperial Japanese Army  attacked Mapaniqui in Candaba, Pampanga a suspected bailiwick of Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (HukBaLaHap).

Communities were bombed, houses were looted and burned.

Filipino guerillas caught by the soldiers were starved, tied together, then burned alive. 

Women were forced to watch under the sun   the men and boys being  publicly tortured, mutilated, and slaughtered by the Japanese army. Their sexual organs were severed and forced  into the mouths of the victims. When the massacre was over, the corpses were thrown into a large pit and set ablaze.

The women were then  ordered to walk  to the Bahay na Pula in San Ildefonso, Bulacan which became a barracks  where they  became victims of military sexual violence and slavery.  Upon reaching the mansion, the soldiers dragged the women, ranging from 13 to early 20s, into dark rooms and took turns raping them.

Japanese soldiers systematically raped the women as part of the destruction of the village.

Worse, some of the women were taken to San Miguel, Bulacan where they were imprisoned   for at least three months at the “comfort stations.”

As a result of the actions of their Japanese tormentors, the victims  have spent their lives in misery, having endured physical injuries, pain and disability, and mental and emotional suffering.

The women broke their silence in August 1996, four years after Maria Rosa Luna Henson made public her ordeal as a “comfort woman.”

The Malaya Lolas was then  established which  initially had 90 members. Sadly, more than two decades  later, their present number dwindled to 29  due to deaths of its members.

The Malaya Lolas claim that since 1998, they have approached the Executive Department through the DOJ, DFA, and OSG, requesting assistance in filing a claim against the Japanese officials and military officers who ordered the establishment of the “comfort women” stations in the Philippines.

However, officials of the Executive Department declined to assist the Malaya Lolas, and took the position that the individual claims of the comfort women for compensation had already been fully satisfied by Japan’s compliance with the Peace Treaty between the Philippines and Japan.

In 2014, the Supreme Court  finally denied the petition filed by Malaya Lola to declare the Philippine government guilty of grave abuse of discretion for refusing to espouse their claims for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Court ruled that while it commiserates with the sufferings of the women of Mapanique, this, allegedly, is one instance where there is a violation of right but bereft of a legal remedy. 

The Court also said that while rape is prohibited, there is no non-derogable obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish those who committed mass rape as a war crime. 

During the recent visit of the Flowers for Lolas, the women  sung a song  in the style of “pangangaluluwa,” hymn-offerings to the dead with the lyrics “At nang magsawa na kami’y pinawalan, Halos ang hininga’y ibig nang pumanaw. Sa laki ng hirap na pinagdaanan, Sira na ang isip pati na katawan.”

The women are still hoping in their  quest for justice.

 A statue of a Filipina comfort woman along Baywalk, Roxas Boulevard in Manila was removed on April 27, 2018 by the  Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) allegedly for a drainage improvement project.

Issues of historical revisionism and the government’s  submission to Japanese policy  were  raised by concerned groups led by the Flowers for Lolas   as they condemned the removal  of the statue.  President Duterte earlier remarked the state would not want to "antagonize" other countries.

At present,  the Bahay na Pula has been stripped of its narra floors and walls, as well as its wrought-iron windows and doors. Still, the memories of the horrors inside the house remained fresh for the women.

 ***

 Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

John Denver Trending and cyberbullying

The  domination of Kinaray-a speaking film "John Denver Trending" during this year's Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival made  a strong statement:  stop cyberbullying  which can be disastrous, or worse even fatal.

The film  sweeped the awards as it was recognized as the best film while neophyte Jansen Magpusao won as   best actor. It also received recognition as best in  original music score. best editing and best cinematography. It likewise  received the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award. 

Free speech is one of the human rights and a guaranteed constitutional right in the Philippines, however, it can  lead to abuse and border to harassment, bullying, cyber bullying, cyber abuse and negative online experience

Directed and written by Arden Rod Condez, this drama film shot in Antique follows a 14-year-old farm boy who gets accused of stealing an iPad. He then ends up in a brawl with a classmate to shield himself, but his whole life changes when the incident gets caught on video and circulates online. John Denver  later on committed suicide. 

Condez said in an interview that he purposely got  non-professional actors  to keep the idea of a nobody suddenly becoming infamous because of a viral video.  He also said that  shooting  it in his  hometown, using the local language of Kinaray-a,  gives emphasis  on the the experience of the entire town; a sleepy unknown place that would also rise to infamy.

The film was shot entirely in Pandan, Antique, Condez’s home province. Only Meryll Soriano and Sunshine Teodoro are professional actors. The rest of the cast members  led by  neophyte child actor Jansen Magpusao are either Condez’s relatives or childhood friends. Magpusao’s  family lives in a mountain resort in Pandan, Antique called Malumpati Cold Spring.

The film perhaps  embodied  Cinemalaya’s real  vision : “the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers – works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. It also aims to invigorate the Philippine filmmaking by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers.”

The film's  gala screening   at the CCP  was Magpusao’s   first time to watch a movie. There’s no cinema in Pandan town. One has to travel six hours  to Iloilo, just to see one.

The proliferation of  incidents similar to John Denver’s case is essentially addressed by the   "Anti-Bullying Act of 2013" or  R.A. 10627, that  finds applicability in school-related bullying, student-student bullying in particular, which covers those uttered in social media.

 “Bullying”, as defined, refers to any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at school; infringing on the rights of another; or materially or substantially disrupting the education process. (Sec. 2, RA 10627)

Specifically,  “Cyber- bullying”  is any bullying done through the use of technology or any electronic means. The term shall also include any conduct resulting to harassment, intimidation, or humiliation, through the use of other forms of technology, such as, but not limited to texting, email, instant messaging, chatting, internet, social media, online games, or other platforms or formats.

The law requires the school principal or any authorized representative to report to the law enforcement agencies if he believes the bullying is tantamount to a crime and, thus, criminal charges may be pursued under the Revised Penal Code.

One who publicly or maliciously imputes to another a crime, vice, defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or blacken the memory of one who is dead may be liable for libel (Art. 353, Revised Penal Code)

These acts are more severely punished when done online in addition to the civil action for damages which may be brought by the offended party. (Sec. 4(c-4), RA 10175). Cyberlibel holds liable only the original author of the post (Sec. 5(3), Implementing Rules of RA 10175). Likers or sharers of a post cannot be held liable under this law

For non-compliance of RA 10627, the Secretary of the Department of Education shall prescribe the appropriate administrative sanctions on school administrators. Erring private schools shall likewise suffer the penalty of suspension of their permits to operate.

 Cordez said in the interview that a responsible social media user must never post anything when one’s  emotions are high. Most of the time, posting online is triggered by the intensity of feelings, whatever emotion it is. Understand the repercussions before posting something on the internet.

 ***

 Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

Kidnapping and survival

Being kidnapped is probably the most terrifying experience one will ever experience. Unfortunately, I became a kidnap victim myself 22 years ago during my UP Law days.  

“SIGE, tumakbo ka na ng mabilis at huwag kang lilingon at baka barilin pa kita” (Run, Run fast and don’t turn back or I’ll shoot you).” The words could be a part of a movie script, but these were in fact words of my abductors in the evening of  August 23,1997, a Saturday. To me, words of freedom.

Freedom from the anxiety that any second I would be dumped dead in that highly secluded area somewhere in barangay Ugong, Valenzuela.

We just came from our moot court class in UP College of Law.  I hitched with a friend as I planned to go to the wake of Lola Rosa Henson, the first Filpina comfort woman to come out in the open.

While our car was on halt somewhere  in  Quezon city, armed men swarmed our car.

I was pulled out from our car and dragged  to their car. What made me feel helpless was the fact that my eyeglasses misted. Running for safety would have been difficult for me because I couldn’t really see anything.

In the car, one  held me down with his hand pinning my head onto his lap.

I felt that we were on a circuitous route. I thought of jumping out  but I realized that even before I could get up and open the door, the man who was holding me could shoot me. They also removed my eyeglasses.

Throughout the trip, I asked myself what I might have done for them to abduct me. Is this related to my work as a journalist while finishing my law studies?

Then  they started asking me questions like what is the name of my Chinese-looking companion- “isang Intsik na may atraso sa amin (a Chinese who owes us)”.

They continued to bombard me with threats. “Huwag kang magulo kung ayaw mong masalvage. Hindi ka namin gagalawin dahil di ikaw ang pakay namin.  baka gusto mong patayin ka na rin namin (Don’t fret if you don’t want us to kill you. We won’t hurt you because we are not really after you).”

All throughout that trip, I felt some metal near my head, and I am sure that it was a gun.  

One of the survival tips I read was that do not struggle while being confined and transported. Calm yourself mentally and concentrate on surviving. The  best defense is passive cooperation. One  may be terrified, but try to regain composure as soon as possible and to organize  thoughts. Being able to behave rationally increases one’s chances for survival

I just prayed hard. I prayed in the manner that I never prayed before. I lost count of how many Our Fathers and Hail Marys I prayed. The words even got mixed.

The place we were travelling to was getting darker and I imagined that we were entering what could be a  “salvage area”, And I prayed harder. Maybe God was listening because I heard the driver said, “Sige, ibaba na iyan (Go on, get down).”

Then the moment of freedom. “Baba ka at huwag kang lilingon.” I indeed jumped off but still anxious that it was still a bluff, that they would nevertheless shoot me. The area was a farmland with some factories, a place suitable for “salvaging.”

There, I learned that the place is indeed an area where dead bodies were dumped. In fact, a few days earlier  the body of an executive was found there.

Our names  landed in  news for the next few days.  I became the  subject of media myself.

For safety reasons, I declined from surfacing to the media. It seemed that I myself became adrift from the world where I work with.

Freedom almost always brings a sense of elation and relief. However, adjusting back to the real world  can be just as difficult as abruptly leaving.  

The trauma  kept me afloat. I can hear what people say but I can not understand them. I see figures and colors but it is as if I was not able to recognize them. My head felt too heavy that I had a hard time moving it. I can not talk properly as if my voice was somewhere else. I ordered all our doors to be locked. And I even transferred to my cousins’ house just to assure me that no one will be able to follow me there.

A week passed and I went back to UP Law. I tried to think that everything will be normal.

A few days later,   the same group that kidnapped  me  were killed in a shootout. They were identified as former cops or militarymen. Thus, that prompted me to still keep my silence.

From 1993 to 2003, the total incidents of "reported" kidnap cases have been estimated at 1,292, with victims totaling 2,330. That is approximately one kidnap victim every two days

. Ransom paid totaled a staggering 1.602 billion pesos. Eventually, the Philippines became known as the "Kidnap Capital of Asia". On the other hand, kidnapping has been called a "growth industry," the new cottage industry and a booming business.

Several cause-oriented groups point to the involvement of police enforcers as the reason why kidnapping has been very difficult to suppress.

That night of August 23, 1997  will indeed go down in history as an experience that could have changed my perception in life. At least  I am still  alive.

***

 Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

Finding LOLA, the missing comfort woman statue

There are “shadows forcing Lolas into silence.”

“LOLA”, the   statue of  Filipino comfort women and those forced into sexual violence by Japanese invasion and occupation troops during World War II,  is now missing.

Artist Jonas Roces was commissioned by Tulay Foundation Inc., to make the 2-meter-high “Lola” statue,  an unnamed woman wearing a traditional Filipino dress, blindfolded, with hands clutched to her chest.

Even if it is a reminder of a painful past, the  "Lola" statue honors the memory, courage and resilience of these Filipino women .

On September 18, 1992, Lola Rosa Henson  decided to come out with her story, and to tell everyone what happened to her, with the hope that such an ordeal will never happen again to any woman. She was the first such Filipina to tell the world about this inhuman practice of the Japanese during the war.

The LOLA statue represents Filipino women’s dignity and stands as “a reminder that wars of aggression must always be opposed, and that sexual slavery and violence should never happen again to any woman, anywhere at any time.”

Four months after its installation in December 2017, the statue was dismantled under cover of darkness on April 27, 2018 by the DPWH,  allegedly for a drainage improvement project, but seen as  submission to protests from Japan.

The Japanese embassy lodged its official regrets over the existence of the statue to Manila’s city hall, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Issues of historical revisionism and the government’s submission to Japanese policy were raised by concerned groups led by the Flowers-for-Lolas as they condemned the removal of the statue. President Duterte earlier remarked the state would not want to “antagonize” other countries.

Tulay Foundation again commissioned Roces  to make the necessary repair, thus "Lola " was placed under his  custody for safekeeping  until the Flowers-for-Lolas find her "home".

 And her new home should have been the  Redemptorist Church in  Baclaran.

Despite the absence of the statue, a new metal historical marker dedicated to  the Lolas  was unveiled Sunday at the Baclaran church , over a year after a similar memorial was removed due apparently to Japanese pressure. 

The broken mosaic tiles that adorn the pavement at the base of the “Lola” statue symbolize the broken lives of many lolas (grandmothers) but at the same time made whole and beautiful again because of their courage to share their experiences and tragedies, and the world's efforts to recognize and honor them and their struggle for justice.

However, despite several follow-ups on the formal turn-over of the LOLA  statue back to Tulay for its reinstallation initially on August 18 then August 25, 2019, Roces failed to do so. Until he recently told Tulay that the Lola statue was taken by unidentified men from his art studio in Cainta Rizal.

There are “shadows forcing Lolas into silence”.

“Nothing happens in a vacuum, the missing lola is another event that highlights the comfort women issue,” said Teresita Ang See of Flowers-for-Lolas.

The statue of a young woman with fists resting on her lap has been removed from the  Catholic-run Mary Mother of Mercy  shelter for the elderly and the homeless in San Pedro, Laguna, only two days after its unveiling last January.

At present, a   lifesize statue of two women still stands on the property owned by the family of women’s rights activist Nelia Sancho at Barangay Caticlan, Malay town, Aklan that greets Boracay bound tourists.  “The ‘lolas’ are dying and we didn’t want the issue to die with them, ” Sancho said adding that the issue should be remembered and resolved, not buried and forgotten.
One of the surviving comfort women, Lola Narcisa Claveria, said “Ang giyera, walang pinipili. Ayaw naming maranasan ng bagong kabataan ang dinanas naming kalupitan.”. She is living proof that the quest for justice remains alive today.

The 8:00 a.m. mass at the Baclaran church is offered for the elders. To many, the memories of World War II  are dim, made dimmer by the passing on of the lolos and lolas who lived through the horrors of that war. Sadly, the LOLA statue is now missing.

It has been more than 70 years   since the war ended on August 15, 1945, and yet the Japanese government refuses to recognize its official accountability to the victims of sex slavery.  Justice has not been given to women such as Rosa Henson. Their fight for unequivocal public apology, accurate historical inclusion, and just compensation continues up to this day.

Help us find the missing LOLA statue.

***

 Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

Cheering UP Fight amidst the odds

The UAAP  games galvanized an  extraordinary sense of solidarity for the denizens of    the University of the Philippines , often described as the microcosm of a highly diverse nation.

An academic community  all too easily fractured by politics and personal interest, the cheer “UP FIGHT!” reverberated  during the UAAP Season 82 as the  UP Fighting Maroons Men’s basketball team fought  UP style  – “may giting at tapang.”  

The Fighting Maroons have been branded as “Cramming Maroons" by fans due to their nail-biting, cardiac victories the entire season,  three out of the nine  wins have been one-point advantages. 

Cramming is life for the UP community — even basketball games are no exception in that habit.

UP’s  bid for the championship trophy unfortunately ended when it  lost to UST  during the Final Four stepladder  game last November 13  at the Mall of Asia Arena with the score of 68-65.

However, the Maroons had    their best record yet with a nine-four (9-4)  win-loss  this season, with the support of  groups such as  Nowhere To Go But UP.

One should not take for granted the improving win-loss scoreboard under Coach Bo Perasol: 5-9 in Season 79, 6-8 in Season 80, , and 8- 6 in season 81 wherein the UP Fighting Maroons entered the Finals but sadly lost to defending champion Ateneo.

Out of the 1,115 points earned by the team this season, 236 points  were from Kobe Paras, 235 points from  Bright Akuete,  151 points from  Javi Gomez de Liano, 134 points from Ricci Rivero and  132  points Jun Manzo.

In front of thousands of UP fanatics, the Six J’s — seniors Jun Manzo, Janjan Jaboneta, Jerson Prado, Jose Piero Longa, Jaydee Tungcab, and Jaybie Mantilla — sang UP Naming Mahal for the last time last November 13.  

“They should continue to have that winning mindset. Even though we weren’t able to get a finals spot, I hope they continue pushing for the Final Four. I’m thanking UP that they accepted my transfer. We did everything we could. I don’t regret anything”, Manzo said in an interview.  With 132  points , 56  rebounds, and 64 assists, his number of assists is the highest among the team members.  

Bright Akhuetie, the team’s 6-foot-8  center, viewed this season with a positive note:  "Winners don't stop when they lose, they learn and get better."

At the start of the season, Kobe was confronted  with  very high expectations, whether he liked it or not, being  the son of Philippine basketball legend Benjie Paras.  Kobe did not let down the UP community with his  performance this season with 236 points , 72 rebounds, and 25 assists.

“I’ve learned to love myself and be more appreciative of what I have instead of wanting more things,” Kobe  said in an interview after UP’s loss over UST. “I think that’s a lesson for a lot of people in this world that you have to be grateful for what you have. You can’t be fishing for stuff you don’t have. You’ll never be complete.” 

A campus  anecdote  was that the varsity team was once known  as  the UP Parrots but  was replaced with a new moniker that  revived the old (circa 1920s)  name Maroons along with the  adjective "fighting"  to describe the sportsmanship attitude  that the UP  varsity teams  must possess   during the games.

 In 1986 when   EDSA Revolution happened, UP won over UE Red Warriors under the guidance of legendary coach Joe Lipa.

A year later, I entered UP Diliman  as a freshman in 1987 but I still felt the championship  euphoria as I often see  Benjie Paras around the campus.

 As chief photographer of Philippine Collegian from 1989 to 1991, I remember my coverages of the games  with very few, if none, UP denizens inside the venue.

Almost thirty years later, securing tickets became a challenging feat in every game due to the increasing number of enthusiastic fans eager to shout “UP Fight” as the maroons battle it out to earn the spot for the final games. 

Each  game became mini-reunions of  Titos and Titas with endless photo-ops and reminiscing of college days memories  over coffee, merienda or  dinner. 

With UP’s loss to UST, several criticisms lingered  on how coach Bo handled the team.

 One of the post I have seen says:  “ Hope people stop bashing the coach who stood by and helped UPMBT get to where it is right now. He's no longer yours but ours and we can only look with gratitude for what he's done for the team. As far as I know, there are things more important than winning - loyalty, gratitude and brotherhood are among them.”.

UP lost  but we will continue to shout UP Fight!

***

 Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).

WWII sexual slavery and violence victims seek justice before the United Nations

Justice has not been given to World War II women victims of   sexual slavery and violence as their fight for unequivocal public apology, accurate historical inclusion, and just compensation continues up to this day.

 Last November 25, the group Malaya Lolas sued the Philippine government filed the complaint in the form of a communication submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 

Part of Malaya Lolas’ 38-page communication states that .“the failure of the Philippine government  to espouse the claims of the  victims in respect to reparations for having been subject to sexual slavery, rape and other forms of sexual violence as well as torture perpetuates a culture of impunity for discrimination against women within the meaning of Article 1,”  

Their counsel Romel Bagares of CenterLaw said the victims have resorted to filing the complaint before the UN after exhausting all legal efforts in Philippine courts to seek reparation.

The lolas want the international body to "urge" the Philippines to "provide full and effective redress and reparation, including compensation, satisfaction, official apologies and rehabilitative services."

The complaint was filed two days after the anniversary of the so called Mapaniqui Siege when the Imperial Japanese Army on   November  23, 1944 attacked Mapaniqui in Candaba, Pampanga a suspected bailiwick of Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (HukBaLaHap).

Communities were bombed, houses were looted and burned.

Women were forced to watch under the sun   the men and boys being  publicly tortured, mutilated, and slaughtered by the Japanese army. Their sexual organs were severed and forced  into the mouths of the victims. When the massacre was over, the corpses were thrown into a large pit and set ablaze.

The women ranging from 13 to early 20s were then  ordered to walk  to the Bahay na Pula in San Ildefonso, Bulacan which became  “comfort stations.”  where they  became victims of military sexual violence and slavery

As a result of the actions of their Japanese tormentors, the victims  have spent their lives in misery, having endured physical injuries, pain and disability, and mental and emotional suffering.

The women broke their silence in August 1996, four years after Maria Rosa Luna Henson made public her ordeal as a “comfort woman.”

The Malaya Lolas was then  established which  initially had 90 members. Sadly, more than two decades  later, their present number dwindled to 29  due to deaths of its members. 

The Malaya Lolas claim that since 1998, they have approached the Philippine government  requesting assistance in filing a claim against the Japanese officials and military officers who ordered the establishment of the “comfort women” stations in the Philippines.

However, government officials  declined to assist the Malaya Lolas, and took the position that the individual claims of the comfort women for compensation had already been fully satisfied by Japan’s compliance with the Peace Treaty between the Philippines and Japan.

In 2014, the Supreme Court  finally denied the petition filed by Malaya Lola to declare the Philippine government guilty of grave abuse of discretion for refusing to espouse their claims for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Court ruled that while it commiserates with the sufferings of the women of Mapanique, this, allegedly, is one instance where there is a violation of right but bereft of a legal remedy. The Court also said that while rape is prohibited, there is no non-derogable obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish those who committed mass rape as a war crime. 

Two years ago, a 2-meter-high “Lola” statue of  an unnamed woman wearing a traditional Filipino dress, blindfolded, with hands clutched to her chest,  was installed on December 7, 2017 along Roxas Boulevard.   

The LOLA statue represents Filipino women’s dignity and stands as “a reminder that wars of aggression must always be opposed, and that sexual slavery and violence should never happen again to any woman, anywhere at any time.”

Sadly, four months after its installation in December 2017,  the statue was dismantled under cover of darkness on April 27, 2018 by the DPWH,  allegedly for a drainage improvement project, but seen as  submission to protests from Japan.

Issues of historical revisionism and the government’s submission to Japanese policy were raised by concerned groups led by the Flowers-for-Lolas as they condemned the removal of the statue. President Duterte earlier remarked the state would not want to “antagonize” other countries.

The statue was later declared missing last August due to the failure of  its artist,   Jonas Roces to deliver the statue back to the Tulay Foundation  for the  supposed  reinstallation at the Baclaran Redemptorist Church.

It has been more than 70 years   since the war ended on August 15, 1945, and yet the Japanese government refuses to recognize its official accountability to the victims of sex slavery.  

 

***

 Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).