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Friday, March 29, 2024

Comfort women hit Aquino

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COMFORT women who were forced into sex slavery during the World War II slammed President Benigno Aquino III on Friday for saying the issue of apology and reparation for them by Japan has already been long settled.

At a news conference, Rechilda Extremadura, executive director of Lila Pilipina (League for Filipino Grandmothers), echoed the stance of the comfort women victims that Japan must still “apologize, uphold the truth and extend just compensation.”

“They are calling on the President to raise their concerns when Japanese Emperor Akihito, along with his wife Empress Michiko, arrives in the Philippines for a state visit from Jan. 26 until Jan. 30.

The Philippines and Japan will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations after the end of World War II.

“We may be older than him but our memory is far clearer. The grandmothers never heard an official statement of apology nor received compensation from the Japanese government. Perhaps, he is the one suffering from dementia,” Extremadura said.

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She said they cannot believe Aquino would make good on his promise to bring up the issue of the comfort women with Emperor Akihito.

Earlier, the President said he would raise the concerns of the comfort women victims.

“Now that a visiting forces agreement with Japan is in the works, Aquino has another reason not to go into this topic,” Extremadura said.

Four members of Lila Pilipina— Narcisa Claveria, 85, of Ilocos Sur; Hilaria Bustamante, 90, of Singalong, Manila; Felicidad de los Reyes, 87, of Masbate, and Estelita Dy, 85, of Negros Occidental—brought crane origami symbolizing peace to remind Aquino of his lost opportunities to help pursue justice for them.

Originally, La Lila has a total of 174 comfort women-members, but 104 of the have already died. The rest are now too weak or senile to actively come out for their struggle for justice, Extremadura said.

“Again, Aquino will have an opportunity to at least bring up the topic of comfort women. Though we doubt that he will do so despite the grudging statement he recently made, we hope against hope that he will do a Korea. But, if he should enter into an agreement, we want to be consulted because we will not agree to a gag of silence, like (what is) stipulated in the Korea-Japan agreement,” she raised.

According to the Extremadura, Lila Pilipina, together with the Gabriela alliance of women, will stage a protest action in Malacanang on Jan. 27 when Akihito visits Malacañang.

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