Bayan chair Carol Araullo asks UP President: Urge your brods not to be proud of Marcos

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chair Carol Araullo on Friday lauded University of the Philippines president Danilo Concepcion for declaring September 21 as a "Day of Remembrance," but she also urged him to discourage his fraternity brothers from being proud of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Araullo was in the middle of reading a Martial Law anniversary message from former Social Welfare and Development secretary Judy Taguiwalo, when she paused and turned to Concepcion.

"Sana lang ang Upsilon [Sigma Phi fraternity] ay hindi pinagmamalaki na brod din nila si dating pangulong Ferdinand Marcos. Kasi no'ng nire-recruit nila 'yong anak ko, pinagmamalaki nila 'yon," she said, referring to her son Atom Araullo, who used to be a student activist from UP before becoming a professional journalist.

"Sana, President Concepcion, you can influence your frat to try to desist from that," Araullo added.

Araullo noted that both former senator Benigno Aquino Sr. and former President Marcos are members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity, to which Concepcion also belongs.

Bayan chair Carol Araullo swipes at UP President Danilo Concepcion: Your brods are proud of Marcos. pic.twitter.com/YriUzaAzF7

— Aya Tantiangco Miura (@ayaruim) September 21, 2018

Araullo spoke during an event to commemorate the 46th year since Marcos declared Martial Law. The event also saw the installation of a memorial for the victims of the Marcos regime on UP campus grounds.

"Legacy na po ito [memorial] ni President Danilo Concepcion," Araullo declared.

"Mahalaga na panghawakan ang mga-aral ng kasaysayan at iukit ito sa kamalayan ng bagong henerasyon. 'Yong remembrance, mahalaga 'yan upang bunutin ang ugat ng pinagmulan ng pagkakaroon ng Martial Law sa ating bansa," she added.

Going back to Taguiwalo's speech, Araullo quoted the former DSWD chief as saying: "Araw din ng paggunita (ang ika-21 ng Setyembre) sa mabubuting anak ng bayan na nag-alay ng kanilang lakas at talino para tutulan at labanan ang diktadura."

Taguiwalo in her message commended the youth leaders from the different UP campuses, including members of several fraternities like the Upsilon.

The Upsilon was recently criticized online for its post commemorating Marcos' 101st birth anniversary. The fraternity praised the "intelligent statesman" who "left an indelible mark on our country" despite his administration being "marred with widespread corruption and rampant human rights abuse."

Araullo stated that historical revisionism is a "very real threat," pointing to the recent "tête-à-tête" between former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, whom she tagged as one of the architects of Martial Law, and former senator Bongbong Marcos, whom she described as "ang butihing anak ng hindi mabuting diktador." — MDM, GMA News