The August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) on Sunday accused Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano of using the legacy of the late opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and symbols of the anti-dictatorship movement as part of a political strategy against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
During a walk against corruption in Makati, ATOM president Volt Bohol said Cayetano’s recent references to Aquino and his use of the “Laban” sign appeared intended to tap into anti-Marcos sentiment and cast his camp’s political battle in the mold of the opposition movement that helped topple the Marcos dictatorship in 1986.
“Because how romantic it is to go against Marcos Jr. right now by using the Laban sign, which primarily was the symbol of the downfall of the dictatorship,” Bohol said.
Cayetano, during an Independence Day livestream, invoked Aquino’s struggle against the Marcos regime and repeatedly flashed the “Laban” sign, a symbol closely associated with the late senator and the opposition movement during martial law.
Bohol said Aquino’s legacy should not be used to draw parallels with present-day political conflicts, arguing that Aquino’s fight was rooted in resistance to dictatorship, corruption, and abuses during martial law.
“Please resign. We are becoming an embarrassment to other countries,” Bohol said in Filipino.
ATOM earlier described Cayetano’s comparison to Aquino as “laughable” and “highly insulting,” saying no current political dispute could be equated with the sacrifices made by those who fought the Marcos dictatorship.
