This year’s commemoration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of martial law on Sept. 21 will be a historic one not only because it will mark the 50th anniversary of the start of one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history, but it will also be the first under the administration of the late dictator’s son himself.
With President Marcos Jr. at the helm of power, rejecting historical revisionism has become even more imperative as the disinformation campaign to whitewash the massive corruption and human rights abuses committed under his father’s regime intensifies.
While there is more than enough evidence to debunk the lies about Marcos Sr.’s fascist dictatorship, the facts will not speak for themselves, so we must speak for them. Now more than ever, we should uphold the truth and vocally oppose any attempts to distort the country’s history. As Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel once said, “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Reject historical distortion!
Never forget the horrors of martial law!
Daniel Aloc, tierra.giya@yahoo.com