MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang defended a recently inaugurated bronze female statue in San Pedro, Laguna after it drew the ire of the Japanese government, calling it a part of freedom of expression.
“The statue subject of this current issue was commissioned using private funds and was built inside private property,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement late Monday night.
“This, therefore, forms part of freedom of expression and the government cannot simply delimit or restrain the exercise of such right without a tenable purpose – the aforesaid right being protected by our Constitution,” he added.
Panelo also noted the difference between the installation in San Pedro, from a similar female monument that was erected along Roxas Boulevard before.
Panelo said the female statue erected in Roxas Boulevard was built on public land and was commissioned for memorializing an internationally sensitive part of our peoples’ history.
“While, we, as a nation, should commemorate the dear sacrifices of our people during this period and contemplate on the lessons learned from the same, we should also refrain from unduly politicizing an issue which has already been addressed,” he said.
“Japan, after all, has paid dearly for its past deeds, which includes giving reparations. We hope this clears the issue relative to the matter,” he said.
In a statement on Sunday, the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines said “the establishment of a comfort woman statue in other countries, including this case, is extremely disappointing, not compatible with the Japanese government.”
As reported by the Manila Shimbun, the said statue was a one-meter bronze statue showing a girl seated on a chair with a vacant chair on her right. It was inaugurated last Dec. 28. /muf