Senator Ejercito asks Mayor Zamora to spare monuments from politics

Senator JV Ejercito on Monday appealed to San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora to spare the city's national hero monuments from politics.

“Ako, nakikiusap kay Mayor Francis, ‘di bale na tatanggapin ko na lang lahat ng ginagawa n’yong pangbebengga. Sige, burahin niyo na ang mga pwedeng mabura na mga proyekto pero wag naman ito. These are national monuments and symbols of heroism, sana naman wag na idamay,” Ejercito said in a press conference.

(I'm asking Mayor Francis... it doesn't matter, I'll take all your criticisms. Go ahead, erase all records of our projects, but not this. These are national monuments and symbols of heroism. Don't involve these things.)

Ejercito had previously questioned the San Juan City government's action relocating the Andres Bonifacio monument from Pinaglabanan Street to the Pinaglabanan Shrine park.

The lawmaker had said that monuments such as these should be in areas visible to the public to remind them of these heroes' sacrifices and to spark nationalism.

“Nakita ko s’ya sa loob na ng Pinaglabanan Shrine na halos ‘di na makita dahil nandu’n ang mga puno. Hindi na s'ya prominent... It used to be a landmark. Kaya nga nand’yan ‘yon [sa Pinaglabanan Street] para makikita ng lahat,” Ejercito said.

(I saw it at the Pinaglabanan Shrine, almost hidden by the trees. It's no longer prominent... It used to be a landmark. That's why it was on Pinaglabanan Street, so everyone could see it.)

As to Zamora's explanation that the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) had suggested relocating the Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, and Jose Rizal monuments to the Pinaglabanan Shrine, Ejercito said he wanted to speak to the NHCP about it.

“Gusto ko nga makausap ang head ng NCHP kung totoo nga ‘to dahil kung totoo nga ‘to, pasensya na, pero napakatanga naman po n’yan,” said the senator.

"Curious as to whether the NHCP head was involved in relocating the Bonifacio monument, Ejercito explained that the monument was covered by an ordinance.

It was funded by the local government and was eventually turned over to the NHCP.

“Kaya nga I’m really curious kung ang ating NHCP director ay may kinalaman po dito,” he said.

Ejercito added, “Siguro po dahil ito po ay proyekto ko po [noong mayor ako] at any traces of our projects talagang pinapabura.”

(Maybe because this was my project, and traces of our projects were being erased.)

The senator also said that the current city government had replaced the firetrucks and the police cars procured during his mayorship.

“Binabanggit ko lang ito para masabi na talagang mukhang may kinalaman,” he said.

(I'm mentioning this to show there is a connection.)

GMA News Online sought Zamora's and the San Juan City government's comments on Ejercito’s remarks, but they have yet to respond as of posting time. — DVM, GMA Integrated News