The Marcos Revival

Absolution Without Contrition?

The last column I wrote calling to question the Filipino voters capacity to feel shame or behave like amnesiacs by voting into the senate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., drew many passionate responses including one that rationalized support for him based on his so called accomplishments in his home province of Ilocos Norte.

Most of the readers who commented via email agreed with my column’s premise with one angrily saying that “SHAME is not in their (the voters) vocabulary nor with many of the politicians”.

As journalists our most valuable asset is our credibility and the ability to listen to as many sides of an issue as possible, especially those articulated by our readers. And it is in this spirit that I am revisiting the issue of Marcos Jr.’s election to the senate in particular, and the nascent Marcos revival in general.

Let’s discuss the comment that we should elevate Marcos Jr. to high national office, which a senate seat represents, because he has done some good things for his Ilocano constituents. Should we? My answer is an emphatic NO!! Just because Dr. Joseph Mengele opened his clinic to native peoples deep in the Amazon, it did not absolve him from culpability for all his atrocious crimes against the Jews and Gypsies in World War II Germany. If he were caught alive he would have been taken to trial, convicted and hanged by the neck like so many Nazi war criminals were. Doling out aspirins to natives would not have meant squat!

Marcos Jr. can continue doing his good deeds, yet it must be understood that regardless the number of schoolhouses he causes to be built, regardless the thousands of miles of roads he gets paved, the crimes for which he and his family are accused of cannot be casually absolved nor forgiven . There must be some accounting for the penury and destitution they left our country in. Culpability for the blood shed, the wounds caused and the lives scarred or annihilated in their name must be established and adjudicated in the courts of justice .

Sadly, they have not done so and sadder more, those in power from 1986 on, whether they be the governments of Mrs. Aquino, Gen. Ramos or Madame Macapagal-Arroyo, have been conspicuous in their sheer incompetence, or lack of fervor, in the pursuit of the evil doers from the Marcos regime. And, by and large, the media coverage of these crimes and the demand for swift and decisive action to bring about justice, have been tepid and lukewarm to say the least. At worst some in the media have been acting like paid sycophants hoping perhaps that their flattery of Team Marcos will redound in generous largess bestowed upon them. One of our readers said, “I attended a party in Manila a few years ago which was also attended by Imelda. You cannot imagine the fawning and flattering that went on around her”.

And truly, what we have seen happening instead is that a revisionist history is being narrated. We have seen unfold the “Imelda version” of the facts from 1965 thru 1986. “What is ours will be returned,” she is quoted as saying. A simple computation will dispel any notion that their wealth was obtained thru legitimate means.

What was the value of their assets before 1965? What was the salary of the president of the Philippines for all the years they occupied Malacanang? What was the salary of the Metro Manila governor for the time she was occupying this office? Let’s say that (incredibly) they were a frugal couple and saved 90% of their salaries and saved one million pesos a year. This would only come up to 21 million pesos for the time period. How did they get to accumulate $10 billion in Swiss and other concealed accounts? How did Imelda get to amass the jewelry collection that is supposedly to be auctioned by Christie’s for several billions (if that is ever to happen)?

It is said often that Filipinos are a very forgiving people. We were a colony of Spain for some 400 years and many of those recalled as an oppressive occupation. We then had a country run and managed by Americans for some 50 years. The Japanese atrocities were remembered as brutal in its cruelty. Yet today we maintain excellent relationships with Spain, the USA and Japan and treat their citizens with great hospitality in our country. Should we not, therefore, also be as forgiving with our politicians and leaders like the Marcoses?

I have no problem with forgiveness. Ours is after all a deeply religious Christian country and offering the other cheek is consistent with our convictions. Yet, it must be understood that before forgiveness can be dispensed there must be true contrition. The Marcoses, starting with Imelda, must “come clean” as they say, and express their mea culpas openly, completely and honestly. And along with contrition must come restitution. It is not enough to say ‘ I’m sorry’ and then keep the loot they have amassed. The treasure must be restored to the country’s coffers. And those who murdered and tortured must be made to face charges and appropriate punishment.

Will this ever happen? Given Imelda’s attitude and her family’s behavior, likely not. But if Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can do the unlikely and seemingly impossible and lead his family to face the bar of justice and accept the people’s judgment, then he will really demonstrate how great and courageous a leader he is. And after their time is served and they are again rightfully free to rejoin our society, then indeed Ferdinand Marcos Jr. deserves consideration for the highest office his country can bestow on him. While I am an optimist, I am also a realist. And the likely scenario is that he will just buy his way to the presidency in 2016. I hope, for once, the Marcoses will prove me wrong.

The author can be reached at his email address : ldq44@aol.com