Duterte seeks end to ‘petty political differences’ on Edsa Day

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Quezon City on January 29, 2020. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday urged Filipinos to not allow “petty political differences” to have an adverse impact on the country’s democracy.

Duterte made the call, as he joined the entire nation in commemorating the 34th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution that toppled the 20-year rule of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

In his message, Duterte enjoined Filipinos to value the liberty the country currently enjoys since the end of the Marcos regime.

“Inspired by the freedoms that we secured in February 1986, let us all rise above our petty political differences so that we may, together, ensure that the legacy of Edsa will remain relevant in the years ahead,” he said.

The 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution gathered millions of Filipinos along Edsa to put an end to Marcos’ dictatorship.

The peaceful uprising became successful, as it led to the ouster of Marcos.

Duterte acknowledged that the bloodless revolt remains “one of the most remarkable event in our nation’s history”.

He said the 1986 revolt took the important role as a “catalyst for the restoration of our democratic institutions more than three decades ago”.

He then expressed hope that there will be a “meaningful” commemoration of the 1986 Edsa revolution.”

“I, therefore, join the valiant heroes of Edsa and the countless others whose lives were touched by this bloodless uprising in commemorating its 34th Anniversary with renewed hope that the succeeding generations of Filipinos will also have the courage, strength, and determination to protect, defend, and preserve the liberties that we have won during that historic revolution,” Duterte said.

Duterte will once again skip this year’s Edsa celebration in Manila.

Instead of attending an Edsa-related event, Duterte will lead the Presidential Security Group’s (PSG) change of command ceremony at the PSG Grandstand in Manila.

Duterte never participated in any Edsa celebration since he assumed the presidency in 2016.

Last year, he skipped the Edsa anniversary rites and instead attended the 1st National Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.