We must never forget

There is a historical crisis afflicting the country. This is the serious attempt to revise the story of the Marcos martial law. First, there were the calls to move on – to forget that dark period in Philippine history. Now, there is the outrageous attempt to rewrite the entire story of martial law. 

It is very heartening to note that there is a massive public outcry against this attempted historical revisionism. The heads of two of the leading universities in the country have issued a joint statement on this issue. This is a manifesto that is worth reading – line by line – especially by the millennial generation who did not experience the horrors of the Marcos martial law. Here is their complete statement:

Joint Statement of the Presidents of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University

On the 46th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, we invite the members of our academic communities and the Filipino people to remember the sacrifices of those who fought for our rights, freedom and democracy. May we be inspired by their courage, learn from their sacrifices and struggles, and be true to what they fought for. Let us not allow those who seek to suppress our rights and freedom to hold sway over our future as a nation.

In 1972 President Ferdinand Marcos haphazardly created a document declaring and imposing Martial Law. Citing the imminent threat of a rebellion and unceasing anarchy, Proclamation 1081 was used as a weapon to perpetuate himself in power. It allowed Marcos to extend his presidency, seize businesses, jail critics, and kill those who opposed the regime. It took many years of struggle before the nation was awakened and our people mustered enough courage to stand against his evil rule.

And so we say today, with even more fervor, never again!  To those who naively say it is time to move on, we say there can be no moving on without admittance, contrition and reparation. Until then, the evil tentacles of Martial Law will continue to fester and wound our democracy. In these present times, when our hard-fought freedom, love of democracy and inalienable human rights, are again being challenged – even by those mandated to protect them – we must bear in mind and take to heart the devastating events of that dark period in our history. We must remember the many whose lives were unjustly taken away from us.

The members of our academic communities cannot abdicate their duty to educate the next generation on the truths of our history even more so when people threaten to creatively destroy them. Let us continue to keep guard over each other’s rights and welfare. We must be effective witnesses of the values of honesty and integrity, excellence and service, and love of God and country.

We especially ask our students and all our young Filipinos to do all they can to understand and learn the lessons of history. Be critical in assessing the truth of what really took place from September 1972 to February 1986. Read the books, watch the documentaries, but above all listen to the stories and accounts of those who suffered and struggled to keep freedom and justice alive during those years of the dictatorship. Do not gloss over the abuses of power, the horrors of state-sponsored violence and the assault against our fundamental freedoms. Do not be deceived by the false claims of those who want to revise our history.

We do not call this day a holiday or a special day of commemoration. We cannot celebrate this day of infamy. Rather, this day must remind us of what we almost lost, and what we may lose again, if we are not vigilant and wise.

On this day, we thank the Lord for all those who gave their lives in defense of our rights and in pursuit of freedom.  Following their example, we ask God for strength as we affirm our commitment to take all the necessary steps to bequeath to the next generation that is noble, just and free, where God’s Reign is truly near-at-hand. – Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ and Br. Raymundo B. Suplido FSC, president, Ateneo de Manila University and president, De La Salle University respectively.

Let me repeat an advice these two academic leaders gave us: Read books, watch documentaries and listen to stories of those who struggled and suffered during those years. When Juan Ponce Enrile made the ridiculous assertion that no one was imprisoned for criticizing Marcos, the best rebuttals were the testimonies about their personal experiences during martial law by people like former Senators Nene Pimentel and Sergio Osmeña, former CHR Chair Etta Rosales, and former DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo. All of them were imprisoned during martial law for daring to criticize the dictator. 

In my last few columns, I have also recommended books that reflect the true histories of the Marcos martial law.  The list included the following: Marcos Martial Law: Never Again by Raissa Robles; A Garrison State in the Making and Other Speeches by Senator Ninoy Aquino; Martial Law in the Philippines: Never Again by Senator Nene Pimentel: LABAN: His Story by Jose Cojuangco Jr., Ninoy Aquino, Nick Joaquin, Corazon Aquino, et al; and, NOT ON OUR WATCH: Martial Law Really Happened, We Were There edited by Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon.

To this list, let me add some more books: Remembering/Rethinking EDSA edited by JPaul S. Manzanilla and Caroline S. Hau; Subversive Lives: A Family Memoir of the Marcos Years by Susan F. Quimpo and Nathan Gilbert Quimpo: Lorenzo M. Tañada As Others Saw Him edited by Jose N. Endriga; THE Aquino Legacy: An Enduring Narrative by Elfren Sicangco Cruz and Neni Sta. Romana Cruz; and, Cory: An Intimate Portrait edited by Margie Penson-Juico. I also received an e-mail from Jun-Jun Capistrano recommending two more books: Thirty Years Later by Myles A. Garcia and Women Against Marcos edited by Mila de Guzman.

Future generations of Filipinos must learn the true story of the horrors and cruelty of the Marcos martial law in order to ensure that it will never happen again to our beloved people. 

Creative writing classes for kids and teens

Young Writers’ Hangout on Oct. 6 and 13 (1:30 pm-3 pm; stand-alone sessions) at Fully Booked BGC. For details and registration, email [email protected].

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Email: [email protected].