President Rodrigo Duterte will skip the celebration of Rizal Day in Manila”•his second time do so”•as he has chosen to honor other heroes on Dec. 30, his spokesman said Friday.
President Duterte wants to go to a “different place” on that day, Salvador Panelo said.
“He said he always goes to the Rizal Park, so he wants to go to a different place this year.
“Perhaps it’s because we are forgetting to honor our other heroes. We have other heroes aside from Jose Rizal.”
In 2018 Duterte also skipped the commemoration of Rizal’s martyrdom in Davao City because he was not feeling well.
Panelo justified Duterte’s impending absence at the 123rd commemoration of Rizal’s martyrdom at the Luneta Park in Manila by saying “He always issues a statement anyway.”
Rizal, who sought political reforms during Spain’s colonial rule, was born in Calamba, Laguna, on June 19, 1861. Among his famous works were “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.”
He was exiled to Dapitan by the Spanish authorities in 1882 and was executed on Dec. 30, 1896, at the age of 35 for allegedly inciting sedition. His execution hastened the Philippine Revolution that took place in 1898.
Panelo said the President will commemorate the death of Gregorio del Pilar on Dec. 30.
“He will not be attending the Rizal rites. He said he’s rather go to some [other] place. I think this year he wants to remember General Gregorio del Pilar.”
Del Pilar, a Bulakeño, was killed on Dec. 2, 1899, in Tirad Pass during the Philippine-American War.