CAMPAIGNS

Pinky Pledge and the Remember ML Campaign

In April 2012, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) along with Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) started a Facebook Campaign to remember Martial Law, the atrocities of the era that is being currently re-written for the benefit of those who want to clean their hands for their roles in the grim regime and the heroism of those who fought the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand E. Marcos. It also meant to supplement the lobby efforts to ask President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to pass the bill for the compensation to victims of human rights violations during Martial Law.

The Facebook page #rememberML@40 brought an influx of photographs, starting with 40 Civil Society Organization leaders doing the Pinky Pledge, where a ribbon is tied to one’s pinky finger means a promise to remember, inform and inspire.

The page was updated regularly about information of related human rights cases and also with historical materials found in the Museum of Courage and Resistance of TFDP.  It also shared links of other articles related to the remembrance of the Martial Law years featured by other websites and blogs.

Special feature blogs were published regarding different sectors such as the youth, workers, women and other professionals who have sacrificed their freedom and lives during the dictatorship. The featured stories were from old publications of the PHRU and PUMIPIGLAS, both publications of TFDP in 1970’s.

The culminating activity for the campaign was held at Palma Hall of University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City on September 21, 2012, 40 years after the actual declaration of martial law. It started with a torch and candle parade of different youth organizations coming from Philcoa to a remembrance concert that featured different artists and bands including those who were known to sing in rallies and sorties during the 70’s.

The Palma Hall was the chosen venue for the event since the AS steps of the hall served as a historical landmark since it is where the youth activists of the seventies staged their Diliman Commune from February 1 to 9, 1971.

Simultaneously, events and activities were held in Cebu and Davao as well.

In Cebu City, 1,256 students of the National Training Service Program of Cebu Normal University (CNU) held a Forum and a Photo Exhibit. Martial Law victims and survivors were invited to speak about their experience. Mrs. Mildred Andrino, a mother whose four sons were victims of human rights violations talked about a mother’s plea and how she cannot find closure in what happened until she finds justice for what happened to her sons.

Ms. Auxillium “Inday” Olayer, told the crowd of her own ordeal as a former desaparacido victim, tortured and who was later surfaced in detention. She also dared the students not to forget the lessons of the martial law years and asked the students to continue in the retelling of the stories of the past.

In the afternoon, a mass was offered in memory of victims of Martial Law. Fr. Max Abalos, SVD of SANLAKAS, officiated a mass at the San Roque Chapel in Labangon where the memorial marker for Fr. Rudy Romano, a Redemptorist priest who disappeared in 1985.

In Davao, film showing of politically relevant films such as Sr. Stella L., Orapronobis, End Impunity and Batas Militar were done in Ateneo de Davao University while a Photo Exhibit was inaugurated in University of Mindanao, Matina Campus on September 9, 2012. Brief orientation on human rights violations during the Martial law years were provided to visitors of the exhibits.

The events culminated in a candle lighting activity at the Freedom Park in Davao City. 

On February 25, 2013 President Aquino finally signed the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013, at the People Power Monument in EDSA, in time for the 27^th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.