MANILA, Philippines-Ateneo sobre Manila College president Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, has released a general public apology with regard to achieveing asked former 1st lady Imelda Marcos in order to be the particular guest loudspeaker in the 40th anniversary associated with the Ateneo Scholarship Basis (ASF) upon Saturday, right after photos through the occasion went virus-like on Fb and triggered an interpersonal media surprise over the particular weekend.
The particular 85-year-old widow of the particular late master Ferdinand Marcos was took pictures of flashing the particular victory indication with Ateneo students.
Screengrab from http://getrealphilippines.com/
A lot of the particular criticism upon social press said the particular photos had been a tip from the particular human legal rights abuses all through the Marcos regime that will claimed the particular lives associated with several Atenean freedom practitioners, one of them, Edgar Jopson.
Within a declaration circulated amongst Ateneo alumni late Weekend and published on the particular Ateneo web site, Villarin “apologize(d) for just about any uncertainties that can have developed on the particular mission associated with the college and the particular pain (the) event might have triggered. ”
Additional the declaration: “Please realize that in the particular education associated with our youngsters, the management will in no way your expense martial legislation years associated with oppression plus injustice presided over simply by Mr. Ferdinand Marcos. ”
Villarin described that this right now Ilocos Norte representative has been invited due to the fact the ASF was began with the donation through the profits of the piano live concert Imelda Marcos had structured in mid 1970s.
The Ateneo official furthermore clarified that will the ASF was not really the college arm, plus that Saturday’s event has been meant just as the “celebration associated with our college students, the foundation’s scholarship applications, and the particular generosity associated with countless benefactors during the particular last forty years. ”
“I want to assure a person that all of us within the particular administration possess discovered our own lesson in order to be a lot more mindful associated with these all of us invite in order to our festivities, ” Villarin said.
The particular photos received sharp feedback from netizens who furthermore noted current postings upon social press by “Marcos propagandists…trying in order to erase the particular memory associated with Marcos’ offences from your awareness of everyone. ”
“To those that failed in order to experience the particular Marcos period and think they may be new orleans saints, you might not understand how merciless they had been, ” stated Joel Ramos on Fb.
Andy Summers said the particular Jesuit-run institution’s decision in order to invite Marcos to offer with college students showed “hypocrisy at the best. ”
Villarin stated the Ateneo hadn't overlooked Ferdinand Marcos’ brutal guideline, where countless numbers of active supporters and workers were possibly killed or even went lacking as the particular country has been plunged in to poverty plus chaos. -With an AFP report
