Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
Statement

CANADIANS AND FILIPINOS IN CANADA PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LATE DANILO VIZMANOS, TRUE SOLIDER OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

July 2, 2008

As peace- and freedom-loving Canadians and Filipinos in Canada we express our sincerest condolences to the family of late retired Navy Captain Danilo Vizmanos who passed away on June 23, 2008 in the Philippines.

In the twilight of Capt. Vizmanos’ life and despite his recent struggles with ill-health, he lived true to the people’s view of him as a veritable soldier of the people.

During the dark days of martial law, Capt. Vizmanos resisted Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship despite torture. When Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, Capt. Vizmanos defiantly retired from the Philippine military, refusing to be part of the military machinery of the Marcos regime.

A true patriot, throughout his years, he crusaded against US military bases on Philippine soil; campaigned to end the Republic of the Philippines-United States Balikatan joint military war games; and warned of the looming threat of direct US military intervention in the country which was named the second front in the U.S.-led war on terror.

As the political and economic institutions remain largely unchanged since martial law and poverty and political crisis only deepens with the current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo anti-national and anti-people policies, the patriotic and pro-people principles of Capt. Vizmanos are ever-more needed.

As Canadians and Filipinos in Canada, there is a particular need to support the patriotic and pro-people convictions of people like Capt. Vismanos given that the Canadian government has recently expressed keen interest in conducting joint military exercises with the Philippine government.

Therefore, as Canadians and Filipinos in Canada, we salute and honour the memory of Capt. Vizmanos by renewing our commitment  in a time of heightening US-led wars of aggression, occupation and intervention to educate ourselves about the root causes of the Filipino people’s exploitation and oppression and to continue to build genuine solidarity with the Filipino people in their legitimate struggle for national freedom and democracy.

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