SPAIN initially sought colonization in the Philippines, not friendship.
This was the assertion made by Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy on the program “Spotlight” on SMNI, following Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri‘s statement to the Spanish senators, where he proposed extending the 500 years of what he called ‘friendship’ and history between the Philippines and Spain.
Zubiri’s statement garnered criticism, especially due to the atrocities committed during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.
According to Pastor Apollo, it is unacceptable to refer to the early interactions between the Philippines and Spain as friendship, as it was never an equal relationship. He points out the oppression suffered by Filipinos from the Spaniards.
“If we look at the beginning, it’s not about friendship; they wanted to colonize us. We were called “Indios,” and I’m not proud of the early Spanish arrival because they colonized us, because they have colonized us and then we are also subjected to so much, that’s why we have the Filipino-Spanish War. When they were losing, they sold us to the Americans.”
“Because it has gone beyond friendship, they tried to hold us by the neck, and our friends are no longer our friends. I don’t like that.”
“When equal respect is lost that is when the critical moment in your friendship comes into being—-wanted to dominate the other,” according to Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
Pastor Apollo also emphasized the importance of equal respect in friendships, highlighting that when one party seeks to dominate the other, then the friendship is at a critical point.
The good pastor stressed that whether a country is rich or poor, everyone should be treated as equals and have their respective governments. Pastor Apollo believes is not right to label subjugation as friendship.
He also highlighted that in the eyes of God, all individuals are created equal, and thus, we should all stand on equal footing.
“I look at you as my equal you look at me as my equal but when you try to squeeze my neck—get out of that relationship right away,” Pastor Apollo stated.
“We are all created by the God Almighty as equal–that’s how we should stand,” he added.
In the end, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy said that by embracing and promoting Filipino culture and identity, the Philippines can move away from the legacy of colonization and work toward unity and equality.
