Well it seems with that proposal to rename Camp Aguinaldo to Camp Antonio Luna in time for National Heroes Day has generated a lot of social media buzz. We really have to really understand our national heroes. Antonio Luna was a remarkable personality but like all of us was flawed. He likely would be an academic had the revolution not intervened. He would have been the first Dean of a College of Science of the Philippine University had the nation made the transition to independence in a peaceful manner.
That was recognized by the American College of Pharmacy when they feted Dr Luna on what would have been his 60th birthday noting his work in combating malaria. But that was not to be. He became a soldier.
General Luna was for a professional military within the bounds of the constitution. Perhaps that is the biggest sign of contradiction for today. Please answer the question: Would President Duterte (or a President Aquino, Marcos, Arroyo, Quezon etc) have a General Luna as his chief of staff of the AFP?
General Luna was obedient to the Constitution of the Filipino Republic whose head of state and government was General Emilio Aguinaldo. To rename Camp Aguinaldo to Camp Luna is to dishonor the General and his commander-in-chief, both flawed but heroic men.
General Luna in mufti was for civil authority, civil rights and the rule of law. To the misinformed on the Right and the Left, Luna was acting within military law of his time (while harsh) when he punished his soldiers with the Articles of Military Justice which pop culture remembers as Articulo Uno. Luna would have been abhorred by summary executions.
We need a professional military who can defend the people against threats to their security, and sovereignty. This military will be obedient to the constitution despite the flawed government elected by electorate.
If you want to properly remember General Luna I suggest you support
1) A national, patriotic and innovative science policy (Luna was a scientist we honor him for that)
2) A professional AFP which can do its job (We honor him as a soldier here)
3) A national people's (citizen) army, well trained, equipped, mobilizable to secure the land, people and to respond to humanitarian emergencies (Here we honor Luna at the last moment of his life, He called for an army of citizens to defend the republic)
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