Lorenzana leads 124th anniversary of Rizal’s martyrdom

December 30, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana led the commemoration ceremony for the 124th anniversary of the martyrdom of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal  in Manila on Monday.

Aside from Lorenzana, who is the official representative of President Rodrigo Duterte, the event was attended by the military and other officials from different government agencies including Manila Mayor Francisco Dumagoso.

The flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies held at the Rizal National Monument in Manila was hosted by the AFP.

In a statement, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay said the armed forces "is one with the whole Filipino nation in the peaceful and safe commemoration of Rizal Day."

"Your soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines and civilian human resources pay tribute to our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal who exemplifies our organization’s core values of honor, service, and patriotism," said Gapay.

"Dr. Rizal continues to be a source of inspiration for our men and women in uniform in protecting our people’s freedom which he, along with other national heroes, fought for during the centuries of Spanish rule," he said.

"His noble acts and sacrifices to push forward nationalism and patriotism, as well as his tireless efforts for continuous development remain as premier attributes that we in the military service emulate," he added.

Gapay said "the AFP wishes that the 124th year of our national heroes’ martyrdom will continue to motivate our people to better serve our country."

"The preservation of the state is an obligation of every citizen, especially now that we are in this challenging time of a pandemic," he said.

"We hope that each and every Filipino will draw strength and determination from what Dr. Rizal has fought for and accomplished to pave way for our nation’s independence and achieve lasting peace and security," he added. Robina Asido/DMS