Vox Populi

CEBU, Philippines - Two previous articles in The Freeman (July 17, page 15, and July 31, page 15) dealt with death penalty. In our country’s history, there were years when capital punishment or death penalty was imposed and there were times when it was taken away. This verifies the saying in Spanish: “Cada cura con su locura,” which means “every parish priest has his own foolishness,” meaning his own quirks.

Now we understand why the “Strong Man from the Ilocos” closed Congress when he declared Martial Law. He realized from his experience as a congressman that when a provision is put in the constitution, it elicits a lot of arguments among the legislators and the same much blah-blah when the same or another provision is removed – a process that involves big expenditure, given that the legislators are paid handsome salaries and fringe benefits.

Under Martial Law, the signature of the President would be enough to constitute a law. Marcos signed thousands of presidential decrees, some of which are still in force. The country saved millions, nay billions, of pesos from the suspension of a laid-out legislative process, although the savings were allegedly siphoned out of the country by his “bitter half.”

When democracy was restored by President Cory, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) was created. But then the PCGG was accused of stealing from the Marcoses. (Oh my! Stealing is already bad, but to steal from the thief is worse.)

Marcos would seem to be the smartest president the country ever had. In other countries, Martial Law would not last for more than one year. But in the Philippines, it went on for more than ten years. It was believed that if not for Pope Paul VI’s upcoming visit to the country then, Martial Law would not have been lifted.

In the early years of Martial Law, I was still in the active ministry of the Roman Catholic Priesthood, yet unmarried of course. Hence, I was spared the difficult times during the military rule. When Marcos’ ouster was announced, in 1986, I was taking my little children to school at Cebu State College (now Cebu Normal University) where I was also working. I thought things would change in the country.

To my dismay, things have remained the same. What with almost majority of those occupying legislative positions in government being scions of past oligarchs. And now President Duterte plans to bury Marcos in the “Libingan ng mga Bayani.” The plan has something to do, he said, with his own father being once a cabinet member of the former dictator’s administration and in gratitude to Senator Bongbong Marcos for his overwhelming victory in Ilocos in the last elections.

So, it’s gratitude more than anything else! And it’s creating a lot of noise, for and against, among the citizenry. It looks like the ugly side of the famed Filipino “utang na loob.”

The National Democratic Front, which President Duterte is trying to win over, is opposed to the plan of Marcos’ burial at the “Libingan ng mga Bayani.” But those in favor of it say that it’s a gesture of reconciliation, of national healing. It’s like reconciliation with the Catholic Church, which had been the object of the President’s harsh words, by his kissing Cardinal Vidal’s hand and with Chief Justice Sereno by apologizing for his imprudent remarks to her.

If Marcos will be given a hero’s burial as planned, how will the Filipino look in the eyes of the world that was once amazed by the miracle at EDSA 30 years ago? I believe that the President shall consider it from different angles. And he shall listen to the people, whom he has inspired with his personal claim of “deep love of country.”

Deep love of the country is not limited to waging a relentless war against illegal drugs and criminality. It ought to prevail over personal “utang na loob.” The widespread uproar is saying something.

“Vox populi, vox Dei” – the voice of the people is the voice of God.