Why indeed should we not bury former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Fort McKinley Libingan ng mga Bayani?
Why not bury former President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Filipino Heroes' Cemetery)? That is the question that came to light recently in the wake of the burial there of former Secretary and retired General Angelo Reyes, who was in the middle of being implicated in a big-time corruption scandal at the time of his death on the 8th of February this year. Marcos's son, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr today "reiterated his call for the burial of his father, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, in the Libingan ng mga Bayani". Television personality Karen Davila was quoted by ANC 24/7 as having quoted Bongbong saying that "if Angelo Reyes was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, my late father should also be buried there".So why not? He was President of the Philippines for two decades after all and, like Angelo Reyes, was never convicted for his crimes. Indeed, his son is a Philippine Senator and his wife, former First Lady Imelda Marcos is a member of the House of Representatives. As far as I can tell, none of Marcos's top military officers or Cabinet members were taken to account for the alleged "crimes" perpetrated during his 20-year rule. Among the architects of the much maligned Martial Law of the 70's can be counted former President Fidel Ramos who is widely respected for the administration he ran in the 90's. Marcos's Minister of Defense and right-hand-man at the height of his dictatorship, Juan Ponce Enrile, is now Senate President.
Indeed, take stock of the political landscape of today and the who's-who of the folks in power today with eyes uncoloured by the Aquinoist propaganda that dominated much of the last 25 years, and one would be hard-pressed to imagine Ferdinand Marcos as the bad guy he is made out to be.
Credit this to an astounding 25 years of a lack of results spanning the year 1986 when Marcos was deposed in a so-called "people power" "revolution" through to today, or for that matter, the 25th of February of this year which marks the Silver Anniversary of this "revolution". This lack of results is vast in scope -- from a lack of closure on much of the "crimes" supposedly committed by Marcos and his henchmen, a flaccid effort to recover the loot he allegedly made off with, and, most glaringly obvious, the lack of progress in the overall condition of Philippine society.
Compared to other societies where swift -- and often harsh -- justice was dealt their respective despots once they were ousted from power, the Philippines simply muddled along in its renowned flaccid form over those last 25 years chanting slogans peppered with words like "social justice", "vigilance", and "hope" in a sad monumental effort to mask an underlying lack of real national substance.
Perhaps then, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos is entitled to a decent burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. We have, after all, come full circle and now need to come to terms with the in-your-face realisation that it was not Marcos or his legacy after all that accounts for the lack of any real progress in the Philippines.
Thanks for this article. Honestly, the FM still never fails to thrill me even up to this moment. His period in government was among my favorites. Compared to the Aquino family, Marcos' children deserve respect despite their blemishes.
ReplyDeleteI agree, why shouldn't he be buried there? His administration's efforts (the good ones) are still felt until now.
ReplyDeletea related article (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/16/11/aquino-inhibits-marcos-burial-debate) shows how Pnoy wants to distance himself completely from the issue. It gives me the vibe that he doesn't want FM to be buried there but he doesn't want to be the one to say it so he'll appear "unbiased".
I dunno, it's just a gut-feeling though.
i still don't condone with the abuses that happened during marcos' time (i still get chills when i recall a documentary that told of fathers being forced by soldiers to rape their daughters), and while he didn't directly do it, omission is as much a sin as commission. although in the 20 years he reigned, there were some positive things that happened, such as the curbing of the oligarchy's power. unfortunately, marcos had his own cronies to replace them.
ReplyDeletenonetheless, i would have to go by what gibo said. i was surprised he was open to this idea but he had a point in saying that marcos was a soldier too and it's been a long time already.
if we really want to punish the marcoses, stop voting them into power! (ugh! just remembered that photo of noynoy and imee...they couldn't forgive gma for pulling out their mom's security detail, which turned out to be something routine, but they forgave the people they had identified as to have been behind their father's death).
can't believe everything you read and hear on the radio and on television, you have to research more then weigh both sides.
DeleteI agree 100%. Media Propaganda during the Marcos Regime is too effective, it is still being used until today.
DeleteLots of people do say that they do not condone what happened during the Marcos regime. But this is what makes the lack of closure around these alleged "crimes" all the more astounding -- that there'd be so much indignation expressed about said "abuses" and no results as far as bringing those responsible for them to justice.
ReplyDeletelet him rot in hell....Record for worlds longest funeral evahhhhh... hi hi hi
Deletenice post benign0. ;D
ReplyDeleteThanks. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe page you linked to on the original GRP.com is a bit outdated. Oh, and Augusto Pinochet never stood trial for his crimes, though for some odd reason he is still respected as a good leader by many Chileans despite his CIA-sponsored credentials.
ReplyDeleteLack of closure aside, I don't think he deserves a burial in a military cemetery primarily because he faked the many medals he liked to embellish his image with. If I recall there was a US government authority that knew of this fakery for decades but waited until 1986 to release that report just so Cold War America could keep propping him up.
Then again, it's not like the military has much to lose in terms of reputation, does it?
It's as if these abuses are not being done nowadays by government officials and the military and they get buried at the Libingan. FM deserves the burial. Period. Let his remains rest and let this country move on. Lots of more important matters to tackle.
ReplyDeleteI'm not denying the bit about abuses. I'm just saying my reason for not allowing FM to be buried is because he embellished his actual record of service especially when it came to his supposed wartime service.
ReplyDeleteBy contrast Angelo Reyes for all his faults and "retirement gifts" still had an actual, documented record in the press.
As I said though, it's not like there's much in terms of reputation left for the military to lose. So maybe we should make a new cemetery for the honest soldiers.
If FM was liable for the conduct of his soldiers, being oppressive and human rights violators, then everyone in his chain of command is guilty as well. That means Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos should also carry the sins of Marcos. So this would entail that to prosecute Marcos is to prosecute Enrile and Ramos.
ReplyDeleteSo far, Marcos has not been convicted in any court. And nobody seem to be interested in pursuing such. Hence, through inaction by the concerned parties, Marcos is eligible to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Why not, he was a soldier. Plus, he served the country as president for 2 terms. Whatever his 'supposed sins' were, are encapsulated within the "martial rule" clause.
Victims of human rights abuse during the martial law era say it was Marcos who ordered their torture, unless theyve heard it from Marcos himself, their testimonies are just Heresay.
Comes back to Philippine society's collective tolerance for injustice. It can lead one to the reasonable conclusion that injustice is inherent to Filipinos. Though we love blaming our politicians for this injustice, these politicians (being products of the popular vote) merely reflect the character of the Filipino people.
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE ARE ALL FORGETTING THAT HE TOOK THE FREEDOM FROM YOUR FELLOW FILIPINOS. HE IS NOTHING BUT A TYRANT DICTATOR!
ReplyDeletefreedom of what?
DeleteFreedom for what...to be on the third world country
DeleteYes, and then this "freedom" was "given back" in 1986. But then what has really changed since Filipinos had become "free"?
ReplyDelete"Lots of people do say that they do not condone what happened during the Marcos regime. But this is what makes the lack of closure around these alleged "crimes" all the more astounding -- that there'd be so much indignation expressed about said "abuses" and no results as far as bringing those responsible for them to justice."
ReplyDeletetrue...and i question those who came into power after his downfall. what did they do?
as i have expressed before, on the matter of him being buried in the libingan ng mga bayani, let him lay to rest there. there need not be any elaborate ceremony. maybe that is the closure we need. it will be hard to forget the abuses, but perhaps that is a good thing to remind us not to let that happen anymore.
i am glad that getrealphilippines and anti-pinoy sites are there as an alternative to the traditional media that is being used now (as it was being used at the time of marcos) to control the minds of the people.
Perhaps those who came after Marcos realised that by investigating Marcos thoroughly, other cans of worms will be opened and information revealed that could incriminate them (those that came after Marcos) as well.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, Marcos is himself part of the very same status quo that all other oligarchs and traditional politicians themselves benefit from as well. Investigating Marcos would then be the equivalent of disrupting the very gravy train that these same bozos (the Aquinos, the Cojuangcos, the Enriles, the Estradas, and all the rest -- they're all the same at a fundamental level) have their snouts buried in.
This highlights the point of the futility of focusing on political solutions. The solution DOES NOT lie in politics. The solution lies in Filipinos themselves. We have to formulate our own solution and build it from the ground up the same way the Chinese diaspora in the Philippines built theirs back when they were mere balut vendors and shoe sellers.
He should never be buried at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani because that would be the ultimate irony in this land of ironies. Remember he stole billions upon billions, not in pesos but in dollars. He wreaked havoc on the once-flourishing Philippine economy - when he gained the presidency, the star of the Philippines shone as one of the brightest in Asia, when he and his minions left it was more or less a failed state. These should not be forgotten by those who look at his era with warped rose glasses.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the statistics alone would bear these. He raped its economy and perverted its institutions. Not that these were as pure as Caesar's wife before his ascension, but he certainly brought it to new lows. You say he/his family has not been convicted; all you have to do is read some of the plethora of books available on the subject. Bonner's Waltzing With A Dictator, Seagrave's The Marcos Dynasty, Manapat's Some Are Smarter Than Others, etc, these
and many tomes are available in our libraries. I mean, come on, he was ranked Second Most Corrupt by Transparency International, and I don't think they snatch their figures out of thin air. Before these are written off as mere propaganda, it would be best if the facts they presented are credibly refuted first.
I think we are in agreement that he is guilty of major crimes against the Philippine State. There is a great wealth of evidence, numerical or otherwise, that
proves these. Denying these would be like turning a blind eye on our history. And we know what happens when people turns their
back on the past, right? It is very, very important to move forward, but at the same time, we must never forget what happened so
that we are not doomed to repeat it. We should learn from our mistakes, not bury them in honor.
I do not think burying him in the Libingan would serve any major purpose, except perhaps as a bargaining chip in securing the billions his family has hidden still,
though even for this I still disagree. The fact that his minions and henchmen still hold power in our land does not exonerate him for his "alleged" crimes, it is an indictment against a people who has a collective short-term memory, which is the very point of this comment.
Aretino, does the word, forgiveness, come to mind?
Deleteforgivness can only be granted to those who are repentant. Nobody in the Marcos family has any remorse for the crimes they committed against the Filipino people.
DeleteActually, that was one of the key points of this article -- that Marcos's burial at the Libingan shall serve as an ironic reminder of how Filipinos squandered over the last two and a half decades what they would like to believe they had "achieved" in the Edsa "revolution".
ReplyDeleteThe following articles should also be read by those interested on the issue:
ReplyDelete1. MARCOS: To Be or Not To Be@LNMB
http://asianjournalusa.com/marcos-to-be-or-not-to-be-lnmb-p10455-168.htm#
2. MARCOS: To Be or Not To Be@LNMB (Part II)
http://asianjournalusa.com/marcos-to-be-or-not-to-be-lnmb-part-ii-p10499-168.htm
Very well said. Let's face it. He did a lot of good things for the country more than the presidents after his term.
ReplyDeleteVery well said Benign0. Nothing much has changed since this so-called revolution. The same families are elected to power. To me it seems, people vote out of who is on the top of the survey. I refuse to do what the status quo is doing. I just hope more people are doing this. Thanks for this post. Sharing this to friends.
ReplyDeleteEdsa 1 revolution was a joke..
ReplyDeleteit did not accomplish anything but give the other political families an opportunity to grab power..
Thanks. Bottom line is that we so far haven't demonstrated how SERIOUS we are about making Marcos's top henchmen accountable for being complicit in his alleged crimes too.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy a crap the so-called EDSA 1 revolution staged by that BIASED media is none other than ABS-CBN together with hypocritical prelates and commie retards not to mention those greedy oligarchs participate in that stupid revolution. As long as no closure in FM's case regarding human rights violation, FM should be buried in LNMB as a soldier at least.
ReplyDelete.... AS I KNOW MANY POLITICIAN ARE CORRUPT.
ReplyDeleteThey use people to over-throw x Pres.Marcos
and FROM THE PAST our country experiencing corrupt gov.
those corrupt people RULE WHEN MARCOSES GONE. kun masama si Marcos marami namatay sana noon people's power katulad sa egypt
an lebya
PRES. NOYNOY GOOD-LUCK!!!.we know you have a good heart same w/ your parents we have lot of RESPECT FOR YOUR PARENTS..
GUSTO KO RIN NG PAGBABAGO!!!
GOD SPEED!!!
AMITY
Kung bibigyan ako ng pagkakataon na magbigay ng paghuhusga kay Pres. Marcos, ibibigay ko sa kanya ang isang paglilibing with full honors sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Simple lang ang reason...sinunod niya ang salita ng Diyos na ibinigay ko sa kanya nuong dineklara niya ang Martial Law. At nakita ko ang kaganapan nuon sa kanyang mga nagawang pagbabago sa bayan.
ReplyDeleteTama ka, dapat siya ang bayani at hindi si ninoy,dapat rebulto niya ang nakatau sa Makati at hindi ang ke ninoy.Sa pag didisiplina ng mga tao kailangan me masaktan dahil taung pilipino,subrang tigas ng ulo,ang isang magdesisyon ay napakahirap,laging me kukuntra,yan ang inyong tandaan,kaya ang kailangan sa hahawak na presidente ay yaong me tapang at lakas ng loob ika nga me kamay na bakal,mayayaman lang ang nasasakal dito kaya gumagamit sila ng ibang tao upang mapatalsik c Marcos,nagtagumpay sila saan ngayon nila binabawi un naubos nilang salapi para mapatalsik si Marcos di ba sa atin din, at me tubo pa..Kaya dapat siyang mailibing sa libingan ng mga bayani dapat siyang ihanay kay Jose Rizal, isa siyang tunay na bayani...
DeleteHis administration's efforts do not compensate for the millions of human rights violations committed and the barbaric corruption of the nation's money and resources. Perhaps it's easier for people who have not experienced firsthand abuse form the Marcos family (including THEIR CHILDREN) to claim his "right" to buried as a hero. Can any Filipino whole-heartedly protest that Marcos was never to blame for anything that has happened? We were always deprived of the truth, and that is insulting enough. When we suddenly rationalize that the oppressor can suddenly sleep with the oppressed we find our efforts as a freedom-loving people laughable.
ReplyDeletefrom my point of view, the former president FERDIE MAKOY is the best president the islands has ever had, he produced more projects and applied them without corruption than all the presidents combined,he has done a good job as a international figure which has actually put the philippines as one of the powerful countries in asia, but he became a dictator, he wanted absolute discipline for the people. the people on the other hand, are somewhat ignorant of what community marcos has established(a utopian society)...the thing is there is no such thing as perfection....there will always be flaws, and also from my perspective when marcos was sick in `80's the military officials have been put to power, and these officials in fear of ninoy reaching the position of ultimate power (presidency) committed a cover up murder. the results of these events would later push marcos the the limit by the people led by cory(but she was in cebu during the people power!!!)cory did not do anything to change the philippines, SHE EVEN MADE IT WORSE WITH THE REVISED AGRARIAN REFORM AND THE LAW THE ONLY ALLOWS INVESTORS 40% OF THEIR BUSINESS...THE REST OF THE 60% IS FOR THE OLIGARCHS...THAT IS WHY WE SEND OFW'S, OUR TOURISM NEVER PROSPERED AND THERE ARE LESS JOBS FOR THE FILIPINO PEOPLE....and now that NOYNOY is president...i can imagine 4 years more suffering...NEXT TIME YOU VOTE FOR A PRESIDENT, THINK INTELLIGENTLY...VOTE MIRIAM DEFENSOR, GIBO TEODORO OR FERDINAND MARCOS jr.(the people o think are dedicated to drive philippines into prosperity...........AND ONE MORE THING EVERY TEXTBOOK IN THIS COUNTRY REGARDING PHILIPPINE HISTORY SHOULD BE REVISED....EVERY ARTICLE ABOUT MARCOS IS FOCUSED UPON EXAGERATED AND ALLEDGED CONTROVERSIES....AND CORY AQUINO is a saint...THE WOMAN WHO FED US THE FLAWED AND CORRUPTED 1987 CONSTITUTION...AND ALSO HUNDREDS OF MASSACRE CASSES...AND THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL...THE HACIENDA LUISITA MASSACRE....SENATOR NOYNOY : NOT AN HONOR STUDENT IN ELEMENTARY OF HIGH SCHOOL...NO HONORS ON COLLEGE, NO BILLS PASSED, NO BUSINESS GROWTH....ONLY ASSETS : BENIGNO AQUINO AND CORY AQUINO.....philippines is a very uneducated country full of ignorant filipinos and the international figures are laughing at us because we fought the UNKNOWN GREATEST FILIPINO PRESIDENT OF ALL TIME HON. FERDINAND MARCOS.....GOD BLESS YOU SIR...AND MAYBE SOMEDAY THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WILL APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID FOR THE COUNTRY...
ReplyDeleteMga Aquino nagpabagsak ng pilipinas, ginawa lang niyang tanga ang mga naniwala sa kanya,20 years na ko dine sa abroad,halos kada taon ko lang nakikita ang pamilya ko hanggang ngayon ala pa kaming bahay,kulang pa sa pagpapaaral ng mga anak ko subrang mahal ng bayarin sa eskwelahan,bayad sa kuryente ang mahal,bayad sa jeep nagmahal na rin,kawawa naman mga anak ko hindi na nila mabili ang gusto nilang pagkain,dahil nandito na ko sa abroad kulang pa rin ang kinikita ko.Wala na kasi si Marcos na siyang kumukuntrol ng mga pagtaas ng mga bilihin at bayad sa eskwelahan,lalo na sa kuryente at sa mga tumataas na Fuel, hindi na kasi under goberment ang ibang binabayaran natin, kaya tuloy napakamahal. Sana me isang tulad uli ni Pres. Marcos ang hahawak ng bansa natin para hindi masyadong magulo sa lahat ng sulok ng Pilipinas,lalo sa gobyerno sobrang gulo....
DeleteKayong mga sumuporta kay Cory Aquino ay saksakan ng tanga,di ninyo ginamit ang inyong pinag aralan,pati tuloy kaming mga hindi sumuporta nadamay na rin sa inyong katangahan,na ngayon ay pinagtatawanan sa ibang bansa,isipin ninyo iniluklok ninyo si Cory na wala man lang kaalam alam sa pagpapatakbo ng Pilipinas, tuloy niloko lang siya ng mga nakapaligid sa kanya,yon dating utang pilipinas halos naging doble ng wala man lang nakitang ipinagawa within 6 years of her term, bakit hindi eto inilalabas ng media kung saan eto ginamit saan niya eto pinamigay at saan niya eto dinala,bakit yon sinundan lang niya at yon mga sumunod sa kanya ang lumabas sa media at kung bakit kaagad ay lumubo ang utang natin..Sana naman ilabas ng Media kung paano lumubo yung utang natin saan ginamit eto, bakit ala akung makita na pinaggamitan ng utang natin ngaun.. Dating 20+ naging 80+ within 25 years, saan eto napunta???
Delete"The difference lies in the culture of the Filipino people. It is a soft, forgiving culture. Only in the Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, still be considered for a national burial. Insignificant amounts of the loot have been recovered, yet his wife and children were allowed to return and engage in politics."-- Lee Kuan Yew
ReplyDeleteSana mailibing ang ating dating Presidente Hon. Ferdinand E. Marcos sa libingan ng mga bayani, the best among the best President in the Philippines. Walang sinomang naging Presidente ang may malaking puso para nag sakripisyo para sa mga Pilipino para hindi dumanak ang dugo during that Edsa Revolution kundi ang ating nag-iisang Presidente Ferdinand E. Marcos.
ReplyDeleteThe Philippines remains tribal in thinking and think of Marcos as a ruthless paramount datu, but at least he got some things done. That there is a Philippine National Police or an MMDA is owed to him - he knew how to run the political machine which is tribal and clannish in nature but knew that real institutions had to be created if the country was to survive in todays world. Filipinos need pressure in order to perform, which is why they can be very good workers when they are abroad and supervised by more disciplined people. Too much democracy does not work for them as long as they have their present, as little as it does for the Russians who did well under communism and are doing better now under "Czar Putin" after too much freedom in Yeltsins time. Democracy only works for people who have already learned to take care of themselves and their communities. This not a racist comment, this has nothing to do with race but with culture - look at Guam they are racially the same as Filipinos but their culture is different so Guam works.
ReplyDeleteSimple..Martial Law (MILITARY RULE) no excuse.
ReplyDeleteHe is dead. he doesn't care where he is.
ReplyDeleteso why does anyone else... is there not more important things to be arguing about???