With history of bloody sacrifice, Plaza Miranda to 'symbolize' LP campaign

Every time his government had certain policy issues, President Ramon Magsaysay would ask the question, "Can we defend it in Plaza Miranda?" Now, more than 50 years later, this will be the same challenge for the Liberal Party (LP) when it presents its platforms and senatorial bets for the May midterm elections to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 12, the first day of the campaign period for national candidates and party-list groups. Plaza Miranda, located in the heart of Quiapo and in front of the Quiapo Church, was named after Jose Sandino y Miranda, who served as secretary of the treasury of the Philippines for 10 years. The place used to be known as an venue for public opinion where people often held debates and protest rallies before the age of mass-market television and the imposition of Martial Law in 1972. But it became notorious for a dastardly, blood-soaked event that reverberates today.

On August 21, 1971, LP chose it as the venue to introduce its senatorial and local candidates in Manila. But the event, which was supposed to be a normal campaign rally, turned bloody after still unknown suspects threw two grenades to the stage, killing nine and injuring several others, including candidates. Among those wounded were former Senate President Jovito Salonga, former House Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr., former Senator John Osmeña, and the late Manila mayor Ramon Bagatsing. Former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., father of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III and the only LP senatorial candidate who was not present during the bombing, had said that he arrived late because he had to serve as a sponsor at a wedding. Many were quick to blame the blast on Nacionalista member and then-President Ferdinand Marcos, who pointed to communist rebels. The suspicion against him was bolstered by his declaration of Martial Law 13 months later, as he used the bombing as one of the reasons to justify the proclamation. Years later, former NPA cadres would admit that it was part of a communist plot to wreak havoc among traditional politicians, which top Community Party leaders deny to this day. Historic, symbolic to LP In a phone interview with GMA News Online on Monday, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone Evardone, spokesman for the LP-led coalition, said they picked the place as venue for their proclamation rally because it is both historic and symbolic for their party. "That symbolizes the campaign of the LP to fight for freedom and democracy. This time around LP is fighting another front, that is to combat poverty and underdevelopment," he said. “We couldn’t find a more significant venue. It was here where blood was shed in the name of democracy,” said Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, another LP spokesperson, in a statement. Evardorne said their choice of venue is a message to voters and other parties that they are "a principled party fighting for a cause." "We want to put across to the other party is that we decided to use Plaza Miranda to ensure that the ensuing campaign will be issue-based and not personality-based... so that the people will be guided properly," he said. Aquino, who is LP chairperson, is expected to attend Tuesday's sortie to formally introduce the ruling party’s 12 senatorial bets: re-ectionist Senators Loren Legarda, Francis  Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Aquilino "Koko"  Pimentel III, and Antonio Trillanes IV; Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara and Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar, former MTRCB chair Grace Poe, former Senators Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay Jr., and Jamby Madrigal; former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros; and Aquino's nephew Bam Aquino. LP's rival party, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada, will be holding its proclamation rally in the vote-rich province of Cebu. — KBK, GMA News