Lawmakers seek probe of comfort woman statue’s removal

Two lawmakers representing partylist group Gabriela yesterday filed a resolution in the House of Representatives seeking to investigate the removal of a Filipino comfort woman statue – a reminder of the sexual abuses of the Japanese army during World War II – along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

House Resolution 1859 was initiated and spearheaded by Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, who were accompanied by comfort woman Estelita Dy, Teresita Ang-See of Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Inc., and Gert Libang of Gabriela National Alliance of Women.

“We will never allow our dignity and our collective quest for justice to be traded merely for Japanese loans and investments. We will never let this incident be swept under the rug,” De Jesus said.

She said the statue bears an official marker indicating that any modification or destruction of it is illegal under Presidential Decree 1505.

Brosas said the House panel on foreign affairs should summon Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and other DFA officials to explain the “extremely urgent” letter it sent to the city government of Manila and National Historical Commission of the Philippines questioning the statue’s installation.

Gabriela lawmakers said they will also convince allies in the Senate to sponsor a counterpart resolution seeking an investigation of the comfort woman statue’s removal.