‘Pure evil’ a kinder description

In her characteristically edifying column (“Tyrant and plunderer,” Opinion, 11/17/16) Ceres Doyo cited the majority Supreme Court decision’s line justifying Ferdinand Marcos’ burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani—that he was not  “pure evil.”

In our mischievous youth in San Beda—meaning Raul Roco’s, Jimmy Licauco’s, Jun Villanueva’s, Art Montesa’s and mine—we played with words often.

I think our verdict then was “pure evil” was kinder than “impure evil,” which I think applies to the “criminal genius” Marcos was, which was how I often described him openly during the dark years.

R.A.V. SAGUISAG