Irene Marcos-Araneta presence in Ateneo art event ruffles eagles’ feathers
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2019 07:16:59 +0000
THE presence of one of the daughters of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in an event at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City last week ruffled some eagles’ feathers as doubts were raised over the school’s solidarity with the victims under her father’s martial law rule.
In a memorandum released to the University on Wednesday and posted on social media on Friday, Fr. Villarin said that the
“unintended circumstances” of Irene Marcos-Araneta’s attendance at the Outdoor Art Installation program on April 8 “did not mean that the university has turned a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the Martial Law regime.”
“If anything, they have strengthened the University’s commitment to help seek justice for the victims of the regime, to counter historical revisionism and to educate the Ateneo community regarding the regime’s pernicious effects on Philippine society,” Villarin said.
Fr. Villarin accepted the voluntary resignation of Yael Buencamino, the executive director of the University’s creative hub, the Areté, which organized the event.
The controversy started when an art group in the university, Panday Sining Katipunan, posted on its Twitter page photos of Marcos-Araneta at the Areté. It was not clear whether the photos were taken by the group.
“Ateneo de Manila, an institution known for educating future servant leaders of our nation, should never forget the Martial Law years of oppression and injustices spearheaded by the Marcos Family,” Panday Sining Katipunan tweeted.
Ateneo’s student council also condemned the presence of Marcos-Araneta and urged the administration of the Areté to apologize and explain her attendance in the event.
“The Loyola Schools student body condemns the invitation and participation of Irene Marcos in Areté’s amphitheater launch,” the council said.
“It is nothing but ironic that a Marcos participated in the event of the institution, Ateneo’s premier creative hub where the spirit of creativity and innovation is nurtured and cultivated.”
As of posting time, the Areté has not responded.
Irene Marcos-Araneta is the third child of Marcos and former first lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos. She is married to Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta 3rd.
Marcos-Araneta is a known philanthropist and patroness of the arts, a Philippine Tatler report said.
She was wed to Araneta in 198 in a lavish wedding in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
She has two children — Alfonso Fernando Luis Araneta and Luis Mariano Constantino Araneta. ARIC JOHN SY CUA
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