Malacañang yesterday disclosed that President Duterte has decided to not attend any celebration of the 123rd martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal and instead opted to go “someplace else” and honor other heroes.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte mentioned he would rather honor other Filipino heroes who have no set date to commemorate their sacrifices for the country.
“He will not be attending the Rizal rites, he’d rather daw go to some place where…Parang ngayon naman si (Gen. Gregorio) Del Pilar ang gusto niyang bigyan ng treatment,” he said. “Palagi naman daw nagpupunta sa Luneta eh. Iba naman,” he added.
“Siguro dahil hindi nao-honor yung mga iba, parang nakakalimutan na natin lahat, hindi lang naman si Jose Rizal, eh.”
Panelo, however, said Duterte’s decision was not a slight to Rizal’s memory. “Hindi naman, nag issue nga siya ng statement palagi,” he said.
This would be the second time Duterte will skip the Rizal Day rites. Last year, he was supposed to lead the celebration in Davao City but did not attend because he was not feeling well.
Rizal was born in Calamba, Laguna on June 19, 1861. He was part of a group of Filipino “ilustrados” (educated) who called for peaceful reform of Spain’s colonial rule in the Philippines.
While in Europe, Rizal wrote about the discrimination that accompanied Spain’s colonial rule of the Philippines. Among his famous works are “Noli Me Tangere,” and “El Filibusterismo.” (Argyll Geducos)