Gomburza's fight for truth, justice lives on 154 years after martyrdom —groups

Members of the Clergy for Good Governance and allied groups said Tuesday the fight for truth and justice, the values imparted by Filipino priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, cannot be killed or buried as the country marked the 154th anniversary of their martyrdom.

The groups reenacted the execution of the Gomburza via a garrote as ordered by the Spanish friars in February 17, 1872, with the backdrop of a mural depicting the martyred priests, Jose Rizal, the fat political dynasties, and Inang Bayan. 

"Akala nila, babala ang bitay. Ngunit ito ay naging paggising. Bakit pinatay ang inosente? Bakit tinakpan ang katotohanan? Bakit pinagtanggol ang mali? Mula sa tanong— isinilang ang pagkamulat ng isang bayan," Bernie Benedicto, lector for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Project 8, Quezon City, said in his narration of how values instilled by the Gomburza still rings true to this day.  

(They thought execution was a warning, but it fired up a nation. Why kill the innocent? Why bury the truth? Why defend the wrong? These questions made us take action.) 

"Ang Gomburza ay hindi lang pangalan sa aklat. Sila ay paalala na ang katotohanan ay may katumbas ng halaga, na ang katarungan ay ipinaglalaban, na ang kasarinlan ay pinoprotektahan. Ang katotohanan ay hindi napapatay. Ang laban para sa kasarinlan at katarungan— hindi dito natapos," he added

(Gomburza is not merely a name in a book, but a reminder that truth has value, we should fight for justice, we should protect our independence. Truth cannot be killed. The fight for independence and justice does not end in death.) 

Fr. Robert Reyes, the convenor of the Clergy for Good Governance, underscored that while the victims of extrajudicial killings have changed from priests to ordinary Filipinos who are killed without basis, sufficient healthcare and other social services, the fight for truth and justice will always live on.

"Nung pinatay ang karaniwang mamamayan, akala natin ay tapos na ang storya. Hindi po. May twist. Muling mabubuhay ang lahat ng mahalagang paninindigan, faith, visions that are primordial, essential to humanity. Hindi mamamatay 'yan. It will somehow find its way back, resurrect itself in the next generation," Reyes said. 

(When ordinary people are killed, they think that's done. No. There's a twist. These values of having faith, principles won't die.) 

"Hindi mo pwedeng patayin ang diwa at pagmamahal sa Diyos, sa bayan, sa kapwa, sa kalikasan, Reyes added. 

(You cannot kill someone's love of God, of country, of humanity, and environment.)

The Clergy for Good Governance and allied groups say say truth, freedom & justice are still being killed today in marking the 154th year since the martyrdom of Filipino priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora in a reenactment of the priests' death by garrote under Spanish rule @gmanews pic.twitter.com/oLBHh5cpWd

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) February 17, 2026

 —AOL, GMA Integrated News