A U.S.-based nonprofit organization has expressed opposition to the reported proposal to construct an amphitheater at Plaza Cuartel in Puerto Princesa City, saying the project could undermine the historical significance of the site where 139 American prisoners of war were killed during World War II.
In a letter addressed to Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron, Pacific Atrocities Education Director Jenny Chan urged the city government to suspend the proposed development and consider alternatives that would preserve Plaza Cuartel as a place of remembrance, education and reflection.
The organization said an amphitheater would be inappropriate for the site of the Palawan Massacre, where prisoners of war were burned alive, shot or otherwise killed on Dec. 14, 1944.
“Building an entertainment venue on or directly above the ground where these men suffered and died would be inconsistent with the solemnity and historical significance of the location,” the group said.
Pacific Atrocities Education also questioned the need for another amphitheater in the area, noting that a larger amphitheater honoring Higinio Mendoza is already located nearby.
The organization instead proposed the development of a contemplative memorial feature, such as an eternal flame, remembrance fountain, reflection pool or expanded interpretive center.
It also called for consultations with historians, preservation specialists, descendants of the victims, veterans’ organizations and local residents before any construction proceeds.
“Thoughtful historical preservation could strengthen heritage tourism, attract international support, and establish Puerto Princesa as an important destination for education and remembrance,” the organization said.
