By: Mr. Joven M. Jalbuna
The attempt of some to revise and distort the history has something to do with indoctrination. Such should not be treated lightly. It is much worse than mind-conditioning and brainwashing. Disclaimer: This narrative is not intended to convince anyone, but to tell you of my story.
I have known one (Marcos Apologist) whom I've learned all the stories revolving Marcos and his glorified achievements. Back then, I still had no idea about fact-checking or verifying the stories he was telling me. All I did was listening and absorbing. The stories was so inspiring and convincing. I was always in awe of the greatness and saintliness of Marcos in his stories, while his enemies were all evil and filibustero of the Philippine Government. What makes me admire Marcos all the more was the myth and conspiracy of his tons of gold or treasures. Right after listening and absorbing it, I, myself, so uncritical, became an apologist of Marcos.
Things has started to change when I entered the Seminary. Everytime my professors were talking or discussing about the evils of Martial Law, I became resistant believing that they are just anti-Marcos, wishing for the downfall of BBM. I both vocally and silently continued and fought my belief. I cannot accept hearing unpleasant things about Marcos. I even applied the doctrine of forgiveness to assert the soundness of my belief that if God can forgive, why can't we? As well as the aphorism, the sins of the father cannot be inherited by the son. And there was also a time when I hated the Bishops and Priests of the Catholic Church for being biased and partial in their stories.
I became audacious with my stance. What's worst, the stories I believed about Marcos has also made me a symphatizer and follower of Duterte since his campaign period up to a few years of his presidency. The reason was simple, Duterte and Marcos has resemblance in their style of leadership - fierce and kinda reckless. Which I believed as effecive in imposing change and bringing the nation to greatness.
Yet as time passes on, tired of defending him, I started to doubt the stories I once accepted and embraced. This process which I undergone was painful and uneasy - letting go of something I treated as the whole truth. It took a long time. First it put me in a state where I still partially believed those stories at the same time I partially believed those I've read in history books. Then, little by little, I checked the veracity of the ill-stories about the enemies of Marcos, as well as the horrors of Martial Law. I also drowned myself with all the facts and evidences about the collective testimonies of the victims of ML. From then on, I no longer a Marcos and Duterte Apologist. I was like immersed and wandering in the deep of lies and conspiracies. The result of my quest for truth led me to revisit the cause and the rationale why the Catholic Church was/is against their (Duterte/Marcos) rule (not in their persons but their human rights violations and the way they patronize violence and even murder), as well as the motives of the opposition to regain and preserve democracy.
It was 2018 when I started constructively criticizing some of the policies of the current administration through writing. And talking about Martial Law and how Marcos stayed in power, it is now so clear to me. Not just the sequence of events, but also the motives of Marcos and allies. First, only through Martial Law he could extend his presidency, eventually revise the constitution to allow him to run again, not to mention the proofs and facts how he orchestrate/manipulate the election process. Second, the total casualties of Martial Law and the corruption were just so massive to be compensated or be covered up with huge infrastructure projects and economic gains.
True enough, I will be grossly ungrateful if I would not acknowledge the good contributions of Marcos. It is true and factual. But, it will never be a logical cover up to the lives compromised in the process.
My response about forgiving the Marcoses and move on is this, that is so much to ask from the victims and the Filipino people. Forgiveness will only take place if the Marcoses themselves would show or express remorse about what FEM did. Moving on is easy but forgetting is not. Total healing won't occur if the injury will not be forgotten. Once there's no healing, the victims will always clamor for justice.
While on the sins of the father cannot be inherited by the son, yes that may be true. However the sins were not only committed by the father but by the whole family and all their symphatizers. Who benefited the corrupted money? And Imelda, BBM and Imee were already aware of the condition of the country back then yet refused to intervene and tolerated all, while enjoying the luxuries of life.
Lastly, all must be aware of the moral principle of the Catholic Church - it will always fight for the sanctity of life regardless of your identity or sins. That is why, anybody, it may be politician, who will advocate and patronize violence and murder, the Church will hinder in his way.
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." This aphorism is based from the histories of the past of so many countries who were too foolished in committing same mistakes over and over again. It is okay to commit mistakes, but it is foolishness to keep repeating the same mistake. Such saying does not intend to condemn the Marcos family, but it is to remind the Filipino people, so long as the Marcoses won't make a public apology and make amends of their sins, until such, they should not be allowed to be back in power.
The bottom line of this narrative is simple. When you encounter a Marcos or Duterte Apologist, please know that they undergone a long process of indoctrination, thus made them firm and hard to believe in facts and evidences. In reverse, any standard references you will use to invalidate their myths, they will treat it as fake news, lies and partial or bias. But it is not enough reason to be discourage, be patient when educating them. For I know, so long as there is education, they will eventually have a change of heart.
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