Belmonte to voters: Choose leaders based on history, Edsa’s legacy

Military soldiers handed out flowers during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Edsa People Power. JOAN S. BONDOC

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte on Thursday urged the electorate to choose the country’s next leaders based on history while keeping in mind the legacy of the historic 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship three decades ago.

“In May, we will choose new leaders. It should be also be an occasion where voters should carefully assess choices based on history and our world-recognized achievement that was Edsa,” Belmonte said in a statement.

“Its legacy is the continued quest for better governances and a just and lasting peace. We are each called upon to do our role in choosing government leaders whom we can trust to continue to uphold the gains of Edsa and not set aside the very reason we live in a democracy today,” he added.

Noting that electing leaders was a right made possible by Edsa, Belmonte called on the voters to “enjoy the fruits of democracy” by “speaking our minds where freedom of expression reigns.”

“Significantly, this celebration comes during an election year… It is undeniable that our nation has taken very great strides since that day 30 years ago where Filipinos overcame fear and fought peacefully for true freedom,” Belmonte said.

“This is our government and it is our responsibility to sustain what Edsa has won back for us,” he added.

Belmonte, the campaign manager of the ruling Liberal Party, was appointed president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System by democracy icon Corazon Aquino, who succeeded Marcos as president.