City of Manila to unveil Cardinal Sin monument

As the country is set to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first Edsa People Power revolt, the City of Manila has decided to pay tribute to Jaime Cardinal Sin, deemed as one of the main figureheads of the said uprising, through the construction of a monument in his honor.

Mayor Alfredo Lim of Manila ordered the construction of the first monument in Manila dedicated to the late former Manila archbishop for his contribution to the revolt which effectively toppled the dictatorship of then President Ferdinand Marcos.

Sin was a wellknown Catholic Church leader credited for the call made over Radio Veritas urging people to defy the dictatorship by going out to the streets in order to support then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and Philippine Constabulary Chief Fidel Ramos who withdrew support from the unpopular regime.

Lim stressed that the role played by the church leader during the people power uprising on Edsa that led to the downfall of the Marcos regime is something worth honoring.

“We know that it was Cardinal Sin who called on the public for a people power,” Lim said.

The life-size statue of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin will be unveiled on February 25 as the main highlight of the first people power commemoration which will be held near Luneta Park.

Lim said Sin’s monument will be put close with those of former President Corazon Aquino and former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.

The late former president is credited for the restoration of democratic institutions during her term while her husband, the late former senator, is hailed as a martyr who was assassinated in connection to his staunch opposition to the deposed regime.

“There will first be a Mass, after which we go to Edsa, and then we come to Manila where the monuments are. I invite all of you to witness the unveiling of Sin’s monument,” Lim said.

BY JOMAR CANLAS