Memory as defiance: Remembering RJ Ledesma
Death is used as a warning but memory becomes a form of defiance.
Death is used as a warning but memory becomes a form of defiance.
Commonwealth, in this zine, is not just an avenue – it is love, protest, and pride all at once.
“Our sacred land is not a resort. It is the heart of our people’s memory, dignity ang survival. We call on all Filipinos, government institutions, and civil society to reject impunity and corporate violence.”
“Because Marcos Jr. is not taking our calls and demands over the past three years seriously, and now the crisis in society is only getting worse, we are holding him accountable, and we will continue our calls until real change is achieved."
“Protest art falls within the purview of freedom of expression.”
“The law cannot allow six months of unlawful incarceration and the irreparable harm it caused to pass without consequence."
“The state of queer literature today is shaped by this intersectionality—by understanding that gender and class [struggle] are deeply intertwined.”
For Jessa, this commitment is personal. As a proud trans man practicing his priesthood with the IFI, he witnessed the church’s affirming stance on gender equality as he did not encounter any forms of discrimination.
"Public transportation should be efficient and inclusive, but the government’s focus on elite interests is evident in the displacement of HITODA drivers, impacting PUPians as well."
Residents said project contractors only gave them a few days notice to move out as an additional barricade is being put up at the site.
"This has happened many times, not just to my brother. The others just kept silent without justice.”
The Bahaghari-led protest, which mobilized civil society groups, allies, and LGBTQIA+ community members, featured the mural "Ang Liwanag ng Bahaghari" (The Light of the Rainbow) as the vibrant backdrop for the event stage.
“This persistent pattern of human rights violations underscores the fact that laws alone have never been sufficient and effective against torture and other rights violations, and reflects the State’s hypocrisy in claiming to protect human rights and holding perpetrators accountable.”
There are now efforts in some local government units to address the needs of the community and began introducing targeted programs, a move that, while uneven, signals an emerging recognition of the gaps in support the community needs.
In a response to Duterte’s petition, Paolina Massed, principal counsel for the victims, said the former president’s interim release “would be hard to fathom for the victims who have clearly expressed the view that he should remain in detention at the Court pending the pre-trial proceedings.”
“The NTF-ELCAC’s convoluted concept of ‘peace and development’ means that everything it does—from red-tagging to threats, from abductions and enforced disappearances and fake surrenders to killings and bombings—should be accepted as long as it wipes out any communist, dissenter, or social change advocate."