Members of the Order of the Knights of Rizal watch as their leader uses a mallet to smash a scale model of the infamous Torre de Manila which they want demolished for ruining the view of the Rizal Monument at the Luneta. They earlier retraced the national hero’s final footsteps before his execution in 1896. The group also marked the 123rd anniversary of Rizal’s arrival in Dapitan where he was exiled. PHOTO BY BONG RANES
Days before oral arguments at the Supreme Court on July 21, the Knights of Rizal led a ‘protest on Friday to campaign for demolition of the Torre De Manila condominium in Manila.
After months of keeping a low-profile since filing a petition with the Supreme Court last September, the group found an opening to begin the protest after the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against continued construction of the condominium.
The protest began with a solidarity walk from Anda Circle to the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park (Luneta) participated in by around 200 people in a reenactment of Dr. Jose Rizal’s walk to his execution in 1896.
“The solidarity walk seeks to rekindle and give new meaning to Dr. Rizal’s vision to establish La Liga Filipina more than 100 years ago, which is to unify the archipelago and lead the Filipino people,” the group’s spokesman Noel de Guia said in a statement on the group’s Facebook page.
The Knights’ Supreme Commander Jeremias Singson then proceeded to “demolish” a miniature model of Torre de Manila using a gavel at the grandstand to launch the event’s official name “Demolish Torre de Manila Day.”
DMCI, the condominium builder, has received several complaints since last year for reportedly violating zoning agreements with Manila City Hall and for “destroying” the view behind the Rizal Shrine.
“DMCI only signed a contract for seven stories, and they exceeded it to 42. [That’s too much],” Knight General of Rizal Choy Arnaldo said.
The Knights of Rizal is a group created to commemorate the life and teachings of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.