Ouster didn’t erase Marcos’ heroism
President Ferdinand Marcos deserves to be buried, and should be buried, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. That pantheon of heroes is reserved primarily for military personnel who die in the line of duty, or who give up their lives in defense of our country, cherished freedom and liberty. Any Filipino who has honorably served in the military, whether or not he or she has been awarded medals, deserves to be buried there. There are several hundreds of such Filipinos now buried there, and rightfully so. So are skeletal remains of unidentified soldiers who were killed in action during World War II. With admiration, we refer to them as “The Unknown Soldiers.”
Marcos and thousands of our brave and gallant countrymen who served and fought the invaders during World War II, whether living or dead or killed in action, were hailed as war heroes. Gen. Douglas MacArthur rightly described the Filipino soldier as “the bravest soldier in the world.”
The allegations that Marcos’ war exploits are a myth and that his medals are “bogus” are unfair, unkind, malicious and without basis; they are obviously politically motivated. That Marcos “cheated” in elections and “lied to and stole from the people” is an old, recycled political “jingle.” The conclusion that Marcos does not deserve to be buried at the Libingan be cause he was overthrown by People Power and therefore should not be considered a hero is based on a wrong premise.
The “accusations” are yet to be proven and do not remove the fact that Marcos is a recognized World War II hero. He was known and was acclaimed for his bravery, gallantry and effective leadership skills. The authenticity of his medals was questioned many years after these were awarded and when he was already president. Clearly, the accusations are part of the political agenda of his detractors and are aimed to demolish Marcos’ credibility, popularity and integrity.
The Marcos ousted by People Power in 1986 was “Ferdinand Marcos, the president,” not Ferdinand Marcos, the soldier and war hero. No People Power or any movement can take this latter recognition away from him. Marcos the soldier and war hero, who served his country faithfully and honorably, fully deserves to be buried with full military honors and to rest in peace side by side with his comrades in arms at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
In the face of all the negative things being said of him, let us remember his achievements as a soldier, and his innumerable contributions and sacrifices for our country’s development and progress—as a congressman, senator and then president.
—COL. ERNESTO A. VENTURINA, PC (ret.),
43 Zamora St., Sta. Rosa,
Nueva Ecija 3101
