An Olympic gold medal was all it took to change Hidilyn Diaz's reputation in the Philippines from an accused conspirator against the government to a recognized national hero.
The Filipino weightlifter won gold in the women's weightlifting 55 kg at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, becoming the first gold medalist in the history of her country.
But just two years ago, Diaz received death threats from her fellow Filipinos for her alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte and destabilize the government, according to CNN Philippines.
In 2019, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo presented a matrix during a press conference featuring individuals who were allegedly conspiring to remove President Rodrigo Duterte from power. Diaz’s name was included in the presentation.
"When I first heard that my name was there, I just laughed. I thought it was a joke. But when I though about it, I had fear as well. Not because it is true, but I feared for me and my family's security," Diaz said in Filipino. "I am so focused on my goal for Tokyo 2020. Please do not drag the name of someone who is so busy sacrificing everything for the Philippines, doing everything to represent the Philippines in weightlifting, in Philippine sports but you suddenly put her name in a baseless matrix"
By May 2019, Hidilyn Diaz was already established as an elite weightlifter and one of the Philippines' best hopes to claim a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics. She had even won the first gold medal for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games, and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The acid test of Hidilyn Diaz’s Olympic gold medal is not so much in how she maintains her grip on the 55 kg weightlifting class that she now rules as in what we all do together to insulate her rare gift to the nation from being tarnished by politics.
For ending the country’s 97-year chase of the elusive Olympic gold, Diaz was given by the government the P10-million incentive provided tax-free under RA 10699.
Her winning feat of lifting a record 127 kg in the clean and jerk event triggered a downpour of millions in cash and other valuable gifts, such as condos and houses that as of the last reporting had an estimated value of P50 million.
What the government did to Diaz in 2019 reflected its intolerance of real or perceived criticisms against the president. It showed how even an Olympic champion can be wrongly judged and persecuted simply because she was speaking out about the conditions of athletes in the country.
The Duterte government is expected to reward Diaz for her Olympic victory. This should be accompanied by a sincere apology and an assurance that athletes and ordinary citizens can freely express their grievances without provoking state reprisals.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that Malacañang does not need to apologize for the Olympic gold medalist's inclusion in the matrix, first revealed by Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo in 2019.
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