It is naturally difficult to remember exactly what was said 10 minutes ago or what food item was eaten for lunch a week back. Unless one possesses an eidetic memory, details of trivial matters like these are easy to forget. However, it is more likely that the specific emotion one feels at that time will remain longer in one’s memories.
48 years ago today, the most devastating years of the Philippines began under the reign of former President Ferdinand Marcos. He declared Martial Law, a coercion forcing military control over the country. Although the late president was constantly praised by both the media and the mass as a successful leader for building several infrastructure, centers built and organizing the countries in regions, people should not turn a blind eye to all the human rights violations he and his family committed during his time.
Recently, the House of Representatives passed the bill declaring September 11 as a holiday to commemorate the birth of President Marcos. The propagators of the bill received intense backlash since the date was only a few days away from the Commemoration of the Martial Law Declaration. It is ironic for this law to honor someone who was the main reason why the horrors of martial law existed in the first place.
As the books say: “Time heals all wounds” but even if decades have passed, it is not a reason for people to forget this dark chapter.
Furthermore, Bongbong Marcos proposed to change history books and lessons taught in school after the court dismissed the cases against their family. “I can call anyone a murderer, I can call anyone a thief but I have to prove it. Kung hindi e, salita salita lang yan,” he stated in an article published by Inquirer.net on January 10, 2020. He also mentioned that the “accusations” made against them were due to political propaganda only.
Aside from this, the dismissal of the cases against the Marcoses prompted them to refuse the return of their alleged ill-gotten wealth to the national treasury and to keep it to themselves instead. The Sandiganbayan came up with this decision since they do not recognize the documents presented to them as sufficient evidence and that they cannot simply declare plunder on them just by basing on it.
As the books say: “Time heals all wounds” but even if decades have passed, it is not a reason for people to forget this dark chapter. For the youth, Martial Law might seem like another history lesson but the warrantless arrests, physical abuses, and extrajudicial killings will never be forgotten by the victims of the Martial Law.
The little details of the 1970s might have been lost in the pages of newspapers, anecdotes, or books, but as the heart of the nation, Filipinos must never forget that Martial Law was and will never be about sunshine and rainbows. Despite the several attempts to revise history, Martial Law shall never be forgotten; the strength of the Filipino nation will waver again under the hands of a dictator, and the sentiments of the past will keep hearts and minds alive.
Sources:
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1233063/chr-urges-filipinos-to-fight-historical-revisionism-remember-martial-law-abuses
https://rappler.com/nation/court-rules-marcos-family-need-not-pay-billions-ill-gotten-wealth
Sophia Orlanes
Features editor
HiLites ASHS 