SIGNING OF LAW DECLARING APRIL 27 AS LAPU-LAPU DAY IN HONOR OF ASIA'S SENTINEL OF FREEDOM ELATES GORDON

Senator Richard J. Gordon expressed elation that President Rodrigo Duterte signed last week the law declaring April 27 of every year as Lapu-Lapu Day or Adlaw ni Lapu-Lapu and a non-working holiday in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and a special working holiday throughout the country to commemorate the victory of Lapu-Lapu and his men over the Spanish invaders in the historic Battle of Mactan.

"I thank the President for enacting this law. It is about time that Lapu-Lapu's image as a killer is changed. He beat Ferdinand Magellan but Lapu-Lapu was not even the one who attacked - he was just defending their territory from the attacking invaders," he said.

Republic Act 11040, signed by President Duterte on June 29, 2018, is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 108, which Gordon authored and sponsored, and House Bill No. 6782 passed by the Senate and House of Representatives on March 20, 2018 and March 21, 2018 respectively.

The senator said Lapu-Lapu embodies the line in the Philippine National Anthem, "sa manlulupig, 'di ka pasisiil," because he was the first successful defender of the Philippine shores against foreign colonial invaders from the West. Unlike Rajah Humabon of Cebu and other chiefs of the neighboring islands, Lapu-Lapu refused to acknowledge the Spanish sovereignty over the islands and convert to Christianity.

"Lapu-Lapu, a Visayan-Tausug, had strong principles and was a peaceful leader until invaded, possessing the qualities of courage, bravery, strength, honor, and integrity, which should be emulated by every Filipino. He was Asia's Sentinel of Freedom," he said.

"Declaring April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day is a fitting tribute to the courage displayed by Lapu-Lapu and his men in the Battle of Mactan. It is also very timely that we have this law now because we will be marking the 500th anniversary of the historic battle on April 27, 2021," Gordon added.

Gordon has long been advocating giving recognition to the Muslims who fought for the country's freedom. He also filed a bill proposing to add a ninth ray to the sun's rays on the Philippine flag to represent the Muslims who were really the first ones to fight the Spanish colonization.