Thirty-five members of the House of Representatives signed a Statement to join in the commemoration of Jabidah Massacre and vowed to support the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
The infamous Jabidah Massacre happened in Corregidor Island 47 years ago where 28 Moro recruits were summarily executed by the Philippine military.
Jabidah refers to the name of the unit recruited and was tasked to implement “Operation Merdeka,” a top-secret military plan to invade Sabah, Malaysia.
The government troops killed the Moro recruits who turned mutinous upon learning their mission entailed fighting other Sama and Tausug relatives living in Sabah.
Only one survivor, Jibin Arula, was able to escape and disclosed the incident with the help of then Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.
In the statement, the legislators said, “It has been 47 years already, and yet there is so much we still do not know. We do not even know how many of our Muslim brothers were killed. We do not even know why their lives ended so abruptly, so violently. We do not even know all their names. It has been 47 years, and still we can only speculate.”
“And so today we remember our Muslim brothers whose lives were needlessly taken in Corregidor, whose futures were unfairly and abruptly cut short—as if their lives did not matter, as if they did not have loving families waiting anxiously for their return, as if they did not have their own hopes and dreams,” the lawmakers said.
The statement read,” The unfairness of it all hurts even more now that we see how these injustices continue in Mindanao. Communities continue to be broken. Families are forced to leave their lands and their possessions, fleeing under the threat of bombs and bullets. Children continue to be prevented from reaching their aspirations. Our Muslim sisters and brothers continue to live with prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry.”
The lawmakers stressed, “We call for peace. We reiterate our support and continue to call for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, and we assure the Filipino public that we will do everything in our power to make sure that it will pass.”
“We as legislators understand, perhaps more than anyone, that a law cannot automatically guarantee peace. However, we believe this is a step—the only step we have now—in the right direction. Otherwise, we can only imagine a future of more Mamasapanos, more Jabidahs.”
Lawmakers who signed the statement include:
1. Rep. Henedina Abad (Lone District, Batanes)
2. Rep. Francis Gerald Abaya (First District, Cavite)
3. Rep. Malou Acosta-Alba (First District, Bukidnon)
4. Rep. Nicasio Aliping (Lone District, Baguio City)
5. Rep. Jorge Almonte (First District, Misamis Occidental)
6. Rep. Isagani Amatong (Third District, Zamboanga del Norte)
7. Rep. Benjamin Asilo (First District, Manila)
8. Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands)
9. Rep. Teddy Baguilat (Lone District, Ifugao)
10. Rep. Pangalian Balindong (Lanao del Sur)
11. Rep. Bolet Banal (Third District, Quezon City)
12. Rep. Kit Belmonte (Sixth District, Quezon City)
13. Rep. Winnie Castelo (Second District, Quezon City)
14. Rep. Joaquin Chipeco, Jr. (Second District, Laguna)
15. Rep. Sonny Collantes (Third District, Batangas)
16. Rep. Ronald Cosalan (Lone District, Benguet)
17. Rep. Arthur Defensor, Jr. (Third District, Iloilo)
18. Rep. Anthony del Rosario (First District, Davao del Norte)
19. Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla (Second District, Zambales)
20. Rep. Edgar Erice (Second District, Caloocan City)
21. Rep. Ben Evardone (Lone District, Eastern Samar)
22. Rep. Lawrence Fortun (First District, Agusan del Norte)
23. Rep. Jim Hataman-Salliman (Lone District, Basilan)
24. Rep. Doy Leachon (First District, Oriental Mindoro)
25. Rep. JC Rahman Nava (Lone District, Guimaras)
26. Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato (Lone District, Occidental Mindoro)
27. Rep. Rene Relampagos (First District, Bohol)
28. Rep. Oscar Rodriguez (Third District, Pampanga)
29. Rep. Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes)
30. Rep. Bai Sandra Sema (First District, Maguindanao and Cotabato City)
31. Rep. Eric Singson (Second District, Ilocos Sur)
32. Rep. Jerry Treñas (Lone District, Iloilo City)
33. Rep. Reynaldo Umali (Second District, Oriental Mindoro)
34. Rep. Isidro Ungab (Third District, Davao City)
35. Rep. Maricar Zamora (First District, Compostela Valley)
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/799-lawmakers-commemorate-jabidah-massacre-vow-support-for-bbl-passage
Jabidah refers to the name of the unit recruited and was tasked to implement “Operation Merdeka,” a top-secret military plan to invade Sabah, Malaysia.
The government troops killed the Moro recruits who turned mutinous upon learning their mission entailed fighting other Sama and Tausug relatives living in Sabah.
Only one survivor, Jibin Arula, was able to escape and disclosed the incident with the help of then Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.
In the statement, the legislators said, “It has been 47 years already, and yet there is so much we still do not know. We do not even know how many of our Muslim brothers were killed. We do not even know why their lives ended so abruptly, so violently. We do not even know all their names. It has been 47 years, and still we can only speculate.”
“And so today we remember our Muslim brothers whose lives were needlessly taken in Corregidor, whose futures were unfairly and abruptly cut short—as if their lives did not matter, as if they did not have loving families waiting anxiously for their return, as if they did not have their own hopes and dreams,” the lawmakers said.
The statement read,” The unfairness of it all hurts even more now that we see how these injustices continue in Mindanao. Communities continue to be broken. Families are forced to leave their lands and their possessions, fleeing under the threat of bombs and bullets. Children continue to be prevented from reaching their aspirations. Our Muslim sisters and brothers continue to live with prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry.”
The lawmakers stressed, “We call for peace. We reiterate our support and continue to call for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, and we assure the Filipino public that we will do everything in our power to make sure that it will pass.”
“We as legislators understand, perhaps more than anyone, that a law cannot automatically guarantee peace. However, we believe this is a step—the only step we have now—in the right direction. Otherwise, we can only imagine a future of more Mamasapanos, more Jabidahs.”
Lawmakers who signed the statement include:
1. Rep. Henedina Abad (Lone District, Batanes)
2. Rep. Francis Gerald Abaya (First District, Cavite)
3. Rep. Malou Acosta-Alba (First District, Bukidnon)
4. Rep. Nicasio Aliping (Lone District, Baguio City)
5. Rep. Jorge Almonte (First District, Misamis Occidental)
6. Rep. Isagani Amatong (Third District, Zamboanga del Norte)
7. Rep. Benjamin Asilo (First District, Manila)
8. Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands)
9. Rep. Teddy Baguilat (Lone District, Ifugao)
10. Rep. Pangalian Balindong (Lanao del Sur)
11. Rep. Bolet Banal (Third District, Quezon City)
12. Rep. Kit Belmonte (Sixth District, Quezon City)
13. Rep. Winnie Castelo (Second District, Quezon City)
14. Rep. Joaquin Chipeco, Jr. (Second District, Laguna)
15. Rep. Sonny Collantes (Third District, Batangas)
16. Rep. Ronald Cosalan (Lone District, Benguet)
17. Rep. Arthur Defensor, Jr. (Third District, Iloilo)
18. Rep. Anthony del Rosario (First District, Davao del Norte)
19. Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla (Second District, Zambales)
20. Rep. Edgar Erice (Second District, Caloocan City)
21. Rep. Ben Evardone (Lone District, Eastern Samar)
22. Rep. Lawrence Fortun (First District, Agusan del Norte)
23. Rep. Jim Hataman-Salliman (Lone District, Basilan)
24. Rep. Doy Leachon (First District, Oriental Mindoro)
25. Rep. JC Rahman Nava (Lone District, Guimaras)
26. Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato (Lone District, Occidental Mindoro)
27. Rep. Rene Relampagos (First District, Bohol)
28. Rep. Oscar Rodriguez (Third District, Pampanga)
29. Rep. Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes)
30. Rep. Bai Sandra Sema (First District, Maguindanao and Cotabato City)
31. Rep. Eric Singson (Second District, Ilocos Sur)
32. Rep. Jerry Treñas (Lone District, Iloilo City)
33. Rep. Reynaldo Umali (Second District, Oriental Mindoro)
34. Rep. Isidro Ungab (Third District, Davao City)
35. Rep. Maricar Zamora (First District, Compostela Valley)
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/799-lawmakers-commemorate-jabidah-massacre-vow-support-for-bbl-passage
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