To bury or not to bury?
That is the question that has proven most contentious during the last 27 years.
The long simmering controversy began to boil once more with the recent announcement of President-elect Rody Duterte that he would allow the burial – obviously a pre-election promise to Bongbong Marcos. Duterte’s father reportedly served in FM’s cabinet.
For those who knew of the excesses of martial law or, worse, were themselves victims thereof, the answer is a “Big No, No Way, Never.” But for others who were none of the above, the answer is that Marcos – a former soldier and a former President – has as much right to be interred in the hallowed ground. Still for others, the matter is no longer an issue and it is time to move on.
Just to get a feel on where Filipinos currently stand on the question, I initiated a straw poll via social media.
Last May 27, I posted in my two facebook accounts (“Speaking Out” and “Toting Bunye”) the following:
“Can we just do a quick headcount? Are you in favor of burying Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? (We need at least 2,000 respondents – the minimum sample size of a nationwide survey.)”
Seven days later, I started tallying the responses which totalled 16,895 from both FB accounts. I then grouped the responses under the following headings:
1. In Favor (Yes or Like) 2. Strongly in Favor (Yes, with comments) 3. Against (No) 4. Strongly Against (No, with comments, or Angry or Sad)
Here are some sample responses: (slightly edited for brevity)
Strongly Against
– “No, NEVER! It is like condoning his atrocities to the Filipino people. Eventually the future will take it as the rule and a point of reference for closely related cases. (The Marcoses were) …never repentant or remorseful. How arrogant!!! NEVER!”
– “The place is hallowed ground for all who fought and died for our country. The heroic acts and medals of Marcos were debunked by the US military itself.”
– “Hell No! It’s Libingan ng mga Bayani at hindi para sa diktador. Di ba maliwanag yon?”
-“Never. He plundered our country, destroyed our moral and political institution(s) to perpetuate his power for life.”
“No. Under Marcos, the Philippines went from being the Pearl of the Orient to the Sickman of Asia. Marcos destroyed our institutions, politicized our military and worst bankrupt(ed) the values of the youth.”
-“He is already well-settled in Ilocos. Why disturb him? Ilocos will definitely lose a tourist attraction!”
Strongly In Favor
-‘Yes. He deserve(s) it… For me Marcos is the best president ever in the Philippines. You can compare his accomplishments … with all the presidents after him!”
-“Yes. Dapat matagal na. Puro cla bintang 3 dekada na wala naman napatunayang nakaw na yaman hanggang ngayon. In fact cila nga ang nagnakaw ng mga jewelries at paintings ng mga Marcoses..”
-“Yes. I am in favor. It’s about time. Not a hero’s burial but a soldier’s. Time to heal as we start the change.”
-“Yes. Long overdue. He deserves it as a soldier and President. I don’t understand why yong PSG K9, nilibing nila doon sa term in Cory. “
-“Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Walang taong perpekto at hindi nagkasala. Sabi sa bible ‘No one is righteous. No, not one.’ Wala matuwid, wala kahit isa.”
-“Yes po dahil since I was elementary until now napapakinabangan ko po ang mga nagawa niya.”
-“I will never be a supporter of Marcos and their family. Pero pati ba naman ang pagpapalibing ipinagkakait pa ba yan? Patay na siya, di naman niya nadala mga ninakaw niya. Ang pride nga naman ng Pinoy….”
I have my own opinion which I’d rather keep to myself. But here is how the responses added up:
In Favor – 13,299 (79%) Strongly In Favor – 221 (1%) Against – 624 (4%)
Strongly Against – 2,751 (16%)
Conclusion: Almost 3 decades after Marcos died in exile , the balance of public opinion has overwhelmingly tilted in favor of allowing Marcos’ burial at the Libingan. President-elect Rody Duterte, a self-proclaimed “instinctive” decision – maker, must have perceived this tectonic shift much earlier than most of us.
What happened? The big reason is demographic. “Blame it on the millenials,” one respondent said, “who seem oblivious to the sins of the Marcoses. The history books in our public and private schools were remiss in vividly portraying the horrors of martial law.”
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Recently un-retired…
ilibing din yung 2 mag asawang aquino . place Mcoy between them. Isang santa[daw],isang evil [daw] at isang hero [daw] right in the entnrace of hero’s cemetery…fair and square right!