Three Catholic prelates lamented Sunday that many Filipinos still have not learned their lessons from martial law which was declared 48 years ago on Sept. 21, 1972.
Bishops Broderick Pabillo of the Archdiocese of Manila, Ruperto Santos of Balanga, and Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon said some Filipinos tend to keep silent amid the wrongs they see in the society.
"I think we have not learned our lessons. People are not vigilant and are not courageous enough to speak out. They do not vote seriously. They allow themselves to be bullied," Archdiocese of Manila apostolic administrator Pabillo said.
"We have to value, defend, and promote our freedom. But, sad to say, we tend to forget and take it for granted. There are political leaders who are self-serving, using their position to enrich and prolong their power. And we allow ourselves to be bought during elections or we just keep silent instead to speak about abuses," said Balanga Bishop Santos.
"We have to learn from martial law and live its lesson, that we should never let it happen again," he added.
Retired Sorsogon Bishop Bastes said while the patriotic and mature Filipinos have learned a lot of lessons from martial law, many Filipinos seem to have a "short memory" of the horrors of that period.
"I myself personally experienced harassment and danger during this period when as a priest I was the pastoral coordinator and head of the Social Action in the Diocese of Surigao. Martial law was a trauma for the Bishop, myself, and the clergy and religious," he said.
"This ignominious period of our history must be taught as a subject to our young students to warn them that never again should martial law be imposed in our country," added Bastes.