Recently, Martial Law became the topic because of my alma mater, Ateneo, coming out with a statement claiming that vice-presidentiable Bongbong Marcos is revising history. My question is, what historical revisionism is being done? All Marcos said in effect is, let people decide for themselves what they want to believe. There’s no revisionism in that. There’s also the assumption that the younger Marcos is part of the group that deserves to be punished for torturing and killing Filipinos back then. But he was also a kid that time and would have no knowledge of how to make Martial Law work for him. His father and the government officials at the time, including Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos, were calling the shots.
They’re probably thinking of the alleged connection between Imee Marcos and the murder of Archimedes Trajano. I have been shown an article from 1992 where a U.S. court found the Marcos father and Imee liable for this, but was also told a Philippine court voided the case. There is also the picture where it is alleged that Bongbong Marcos was in fatigues because he wanted to bomb and kill ordinary people. I would say that’s someone’s opinion. It was more likely that he was preparing to defend his family because of the coup d’etat that Enrile and Ramos mounted at the time, the event that was the actual start of Edsa 1 (I wonder if people even remember that there was a coup d’etat at the time, and that there was a firefight at the channel 9 tower where a soldier was killed; “bloodless revolution” my foot).
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I can guess what they’re actually thinking. They believe is that letting Marcos go free supports impunity. This is thought of as absolving the perpetrators of their crimes and letting justice stay unserved. So Bongbong Marcos running around free angers them.
Let me just repeat one thing that fellow blogger Ilda said before: the Marcoses are back because the Aquinos welcomed them with open arms. Also, as our esteemed webmasterBenign0 wrote, serious allegations have to be run through a court of law. Otherwise they are just hearsay, the legal term for tsismis, something which still has the capacity to damage people.
If they claim that jailing Marcos is symbolic, it would be a false symbol. It is like how I explained the case of former president Gloria Arroyo; people want a symbolic scapegoat to be punished, but will let all the others doing the actual corruption run free. It is not a victory, it is defeat.
Let’s say they indeed convict Marcos and get him jailed: what will it effect? Will it solve our economic woes? Will it make people’s lives better and easier? Perhaps it will make people feel better. But people feeling better does not solve problems, it only masks them. And once the effects set in, people will stop feeling better. As the saying goes: you can jail the killer, but it won’t bring the murdered loved one back.
There is also a clear double standard. Why don’t the Ateneo people make a statement condemning the two Aquino regimes, as they have atrocities committed in their name too, such as the Mendiola Massacre in 1987 (which before I mistakenly believed was Marcos era) and the recent SAF 44 murder by insurgents? Thus, many other accusations fly that the faculty were bought, if not deceived.
As my title says, all this distracts us from the real issues affecting us. Among those issues are the problems brought up by our new blogger Cynicmandirigma, who highlighted the absurd difficulties in handling the paperwork for his business. There were so many anomalies in his experience that he advised people to flee the country instead of doing business here (I even surmised that the government people want more Filipinos to become OFWs, which will mean more money to pillage as “tribute”). That in addition to a crazy problem some months back with receipts when many business people have had new receipts printed, only to learn that the BIR still considered them invalid. Then this case of car plates from the LTO. I remember seeing a post that claimed the monumentally delayed car plates from the Land Transportation Office were now being made outside the country (maybe China), the claim being made by the former contractor (GJB). Presidential mouthpiece Edwin Lacierda denied it (see picture below). But now, why are the car plates in Customs if they’re made locally? And more. This bureaucracy isn’t the result of Martial Law, but a continuous buildup of corrupt practices in government that started in the Cory era.
If people are afraid that Bongbong Marcos will impose Martial Law once again, I say that’s silly. Martial Law implementation is a group effort, Bongbong can’t do it alone. Back then, it required the help of Enrile, Ramos and other people to implement it. Don’t forget even business and civil society leaders back then supported Martial Law. Today, no one would support that, because they know how dangerous it was. But anyway, business and civil society leaders will support whoever is in power, and the corrupt politicians will jump to whoever’s the ruling party, so they can continue their shenanigans.
If ever martial law is feared, there’s even more reason to fear Rodrigo Duterte doing it (despite his flipflopping on the issue). And some people who want martial law imposed again have this as reasons: asshole drivers on the road; the rocks being thrown by kids at cars on C-5; rise of crime in the cities and the brazen nature of it; and more. The loss of patience leads to people having greater acceptance for more drastic measures.
That helps lead to the point raised about why Marcos is getting popular; it’s because the Aquino regime today is a failure. It’s corrupt, too. So the people who realize the failure, if they have a black-and-white view of things, will switch to the perceived diametric opposite. And about the 2016 elections: does anyone even wonder why the choices are so none-of-the-above (NOTA – I remember that TV ad back then)?
I’d say people are really wasting their time calling for Marcos to be held liable if they are not calling for the current Malacanang seatwarmer to be liable as well. There are other things to talk about, such as the problem with the business process that cynicmandirigma wrote about, and other things. And, seriously, no one with the power or influence is even talking about the Chinese incursion in the Spratly Islands and other islands in the West Philippine Sea. They’re just leaving the soldiers in the BRP Sierra Madre to rot.
Let me just say the painful but obvious truth about the real issues: Filipino culture itself is corrupt. We complain about politicians getting in unqualified family members and friends into posts, but we do that in ordinary life. We complain about politicians stealing from public funds and resources, but don’t ordinary people do that to companies, schools, organizations and other funds as well? And having people killed through assassins or killing someone you hate, don’t ordinary people do it too (just look at the news these days)? Truly, as was asked before, aren’t our leaders a reflection of ourselves as a people?
The country’s greatest enemy is its own people. Unless we, the people, fix our habits and behavior, we end up the ones dragging our country down.
I believe, as my cohorts here do, that what Filipinos embrace as their culture is what actually pulls the country down. And those who seem to be anti-dictators, who may also believe themselves to be “heroes,” are the real dictators.
True, very true.
Our country is such a basket case of issues and with the elections is only making things worse.
We can always look into the past for insight and lessons but what we really need is to address the issues that have been unaddressed and “in progress”
The hard part now is to unite the country towards one common goal: A better country for everyone. Sadly with our country being a twisted version of medieval Europe, our nation will never go anywhere at all. Who knows … maybe we can reach first world in 500 years?
it’s the greed for hacienda luisita why the philippines is all mess up. it’s the ancestral domain in the bbl’s shariah law that can only save luisita. who is rashid lucman? he’s the founder of bangsamoro. that’s why no bbl, no luista.
Aquino and Mar Roxas want the issues against them diverted to Marcos Martial Law. This is because, there are too many issues, they cannot answer.
So, they resurrected the Ghost of Marcos Martial Law, to scare people, into electing another Marcos.
We , elected another Aquino, and we got scammed again, by an unqualified Aquino. No better, that his mother, Cory Aquino; the clueless housewife, who became President.
Aquino sold the country to the Chinese. Aquino and Mar Roxas tried to sell the country to the ,ISIS/Al Queda/MILF, thru the BBL Law.
Aquino and Mar Roxas were negligent on the , Mamapasano 44 SAF massacre. They should be held accountable. Mar Roxas stole the missing Typhoon Yolanda Relief fund.
Aquino and Abad stole thru the : DAP, PDAF, Pork Barrel Bribery, etc…
Aquino’s family scammed the Philippine government , on their ownership of the Hacienda Luisita agricultural land.
Many corrupt practices of Mar Roxas , Abad and Aquino. They want all these, to be diverted to the Ghost of Marcos Martial Law…
With the help of the ADMU faculties; Lopez Media ABS CBN; YellowTard newspapers; YellowTard Radio station; YellowTard “political pundits; etc…
They all try to hide a “rotten egg”…the stink goes to high heaven!
cory aquino did not win the election , she fucking grabbed the power trough a coup d, etat marcos won the snap election
With the help of the ADMU faculties; Lopez Media ABS CBN; YellowTard newspapers; YellowTard Radio station; YellowTard “political pundits; yes, the thirty two years of MADPnoy third world status Creator, diverted the Hacienda luisita self interest of a Pilipino whose unworthy cause is not worth dying for, to hide the real truth of Apo lakay Marcos Masagana99 conversion of a quarter of a million peasants to landowners, the real issue of these rotten egg that stink as high as to high heaven.
Martial law is synonymous to General smoking tobacco eddie, and Senatong tanda and his napolis list of money bathub auditors., the two main plotters of the Economic hitmen of marcos destruction of the Philippines by john perkins book(EHM)that downgrade the economic status of second world status to thirty two years of MADPnoy hacienda luisita self interest deception.
true…..wala silang maibato kay bbm…kaya maerial law ang binubuksan nila…nagmartial law dahil na rin sa kanila kasi sila ang mga magulang niya ang founder ng communist party ng pilipinas
In Ilda’s article, and in this one too, the take-away theme is: let’s move on people, let’s focus on recent events. Am I correct?
So why then are there six articles on the front page – count’em, six – on the topic of BongBong Marcos?
Frankly, if the guy hadn’t had a famous father, he’d be just another mildly retarded nobody pumping out foolish legislation. I urge anyone who thinks he belongs in public office to read this drivel:
Link
Why, indeed, is anybody discussing him?
Maybe he isn’t entirely a waste of space. Somebody mentioned a Truth Commission. I think this would be an incredibly good idea, and who better to convene one than BBM himself? He could then sit in a chair and answer questions about his parents as best he can, without saying “well, I was only a kid at the time” (he wasn’t). It would put the whole matter to rest, and perhaps the country could move on.
However, I don’t think it would move on far. Just as Martial Law was a group effort, so is today’s … well, there’s no Law at all. As you quite rightly conclude, in an environment like that, it’s the little guy running the show, and the little guy is corrupt.
Marcos Martial law is irrelevant in this election. They job performances of Aquino and Mar Roxas are relevant issues.
Let us all move on from the past: Aquino’s EDSA, Marcos Martial Law, Truth commission, etc…they are all waste of time. We have to divert our attentions to the present issues, like: Aquino and Mar Roxas misbehaviors in offices; the economy; the implementation of Land Reform; the removal of Feudalism; the Oligarchy ; the economy; NPA; MILF/ISIS/Al Queda; the widespread graft and corruption; BBL Law; DAP; PDAF; Pork Barrel Bribery; the missing Typhoon Yolanda Relief funds; etc…too numerous to enumerate. And, we are focusing on a past President , who has been dead for 30 years.
yes to Zero conversion of Peasants to landowners, a thirty two years of MADPnoy hacienda luisita self interest legacy of a Kulangkulang99 third world status Philippine Creator.
First of all, there is no call to “move on” of the sort that you imply — that the Martial Law “atrocities” should be forgotten. The msssage is more around recognising that (1) the “Martial Law = Evil” tagline of these bozo activists has worn to within a nanometer of its remaining strand of fibre and (2) the sensible thing to do is to close the case on the back of a recognition that, in this instance (over that 30-year period) Philippine justice has failed to resolve anything. The case has gone cold and the chief architects and executors of Martial Law (if indeed there was criminal activity being perpetrated there) remain immune to prosecution today. The “six articles on the front page” do not constitute evidence that GRP believes that Martial Law is relevant. They are there to articulate our views on the daftness of the activist movement that insists that Martial Law is still relevant enough to derail Filipinos’ short attention spans from real and more relevant issues.
benign0, it’s are still relevant because:
1) Its architects of that era are still in positions of power;
2) The systems for that Marcos Sr. put in place are still serving their intended purpose, i.e., bleeding the country dry;
3) Marcos Jr. is running for VP while (a) pretending he knows nothing at all about his family and their activities and (b) creating meaningless government projects that look an awful lot like the ones his father created.
How is this not relevant to current affairs? It IS current affairs. I think you yourself pointed out that all of the oligarchy are in the same bed anyway. Marcos, Aquino, what’s the difference?
>> Philippine justice has failed to resolve anything
Well, we sort of expected that, surely? Since when did the Philippines have a functioning legal system? The courts are (or supposed to be) the arbiters of the law, which isn’t quite the same thing as justice. And they’re certainly not the arbiters of reality.
It’s irrelevant. Here’s why:
We all know that Fidel Ramos was one of the key executives of Martial Law. Yet he went on to win an election and turned out to be one of the better (if not the best of) Philippine presidents of the last 30 years.
What does that say?
Ramos is living proof that a Martial Law henchman can actually go on to become a competent leader — in the process rendering his past role in “the Martial Law years” irrelevant.
Moving on is not my message either, but calling out the perceived offender in a better way. Hence this sentence – “people are really wasting their time calling for Marcos to be held liable if they are not calling for the current Malacanang seatwarmer to be liable as well.”
When it came to the subject of revisionism, it occured to me, if the assumption of the Ateneo faculty is that propaganda, they’re wrong. They should know of some older people, like my mom, who from the start was always pro-Marcos, because she was the wife of a Constabulary officer and she generally felt lower prices and an easier pace of life back then. You can’t pull that out of nowhere, it can’t be from propaganda. One may say, “the grass is always greener on the other side (because my dad was with the government),” but then there are people similar to Tiglao who have been victims (well, maybe not exactly him, since he was with the Communist Party then, but there are others) of the Martial Law era, but now see the Yellow Horde as having hijacked the ouster of Marcos and having prevented meaningful change. So today, despite there being no Martial Law, there is deception and incompetence that makes the quality of life worse.
I’m glad though you at the end agree, as Martial Law is a group effort, fixing our society indeed is one, too.
I know someone like your mom too. He is convinced that, because things were slightly better than the worst possible scenario (ie., today’s Philippines) the Marcos administration was awesome.
I think a fundamental problem here is that Filipinos don’t have a clue how money works. World Bank gave us money to build roads. Roads got built. End of story, no? Well, yes, apart from the minor issue of repayments and interest. Since the idea of paying back a loan is a confusing one for the average Filipino, everyone thinks those roads came for free. It is impossible to convince anyone that OFW dollars are still paying for Marcos-era profligacy. Current affairs again, not ancient history, I humbly suggest.
For what it’s worth, I I don’t think Martial Law, specifically, was the problem. It was pretty much business as usual. Marcos merely did what his predecessors did, and then passed the baton to his successors, who carried on doing the same. The Philippines has never been anything other than a kleptocracy.
If people want to get those easy days back again, I suggest they could call back the Americans: when Marcos prematurely decided he didn’t need them anymore (which set the stage for today’s xenophobia – current affairs again) it all started falling to pieces, mainly because they were the only ones who knew how to maintain all that imported infrastructure, and were busy teaching Filipinos how to do it.
Why not invite American customs officers, American tax collectors, and American policemen to come and sort out the basics? Or, hell, Danish ones or French ones if you can’t bear the thought of Americans. At least, let’s not leave the fate of the country in the hands of people who have grown up knowing nothing except thievery.
Perhaps that’s something to propose to the Ateneo faculty. Would they like bringing back the Americans, or at least putting the country on a receivership with another government? Maybe Singapore? Also, I don’t think all of those people are saying Marcos was awesome, but some probably regret opening the door for thieves to take over. But yes, that’s my mom’s usual take, “Marcos is the best president because he is very bright.” That kinda language.
But what if someone is pro-Marcos and wants to vote Marcos on their ballot this May? Should we stop them and prevent them from doing so? That would be a violation of others’ freedoms. I wonder if the Yellows are raising sentiment in order to do that.
>> Would they like bringing back the Americans, or at least putting the country on a receivership with another government? Maybe Singapore?
Bankrupt companies go into receivership as a matter of course. The assumption is that the management have screwed up, and competent management might fix it. There’s no shame in it. It often works, and sometimes the original managers get a clue, and take the company forwards.
So why not bankrupt countries? Or even morally bankrupt countries? While benign0 exhorts us all to think outside the box, I don’t think this is possible for any Filipino who has not lived and worked abroad for many years (possibly Benign0 has, I don’t know). We are all prisoners of our own culture, and you have to see other ones to measure your own against. Since Filipinos mostly can’t travel, can’t we bring the rest of the world to the Filipinos?
The problem is, there is no global-agreed mechanism for declaring Chapter 11. Maybe BongBong could stand up at the UN and propose one.
>> But what if someone is pro-Marcos and wants to vote Marcos on their ballot this May? Should we stop them and prevent them from doing so?
Of course you can’t stop them, but political campaigns are a normal part of a democracy. We should all be grateful that the anti-Marcos protestors (or the posters on this board, for that matter) aren’t being quietly rounded up and disappeared.
>> “Marcos is the best president because he is very bright.”
A smart president in a weak system is like a fox in a henhouse. Maybe that’s why Filipinos prefer to vote for dumb presidents 😉
Yes, we are prisoners indeed of our own culture. That’s what Get Real Philippines always points to. Culture has to be smashed and rebuilt into a better form. Though when it comes to “bring the rest of the world to the Filipinos,” we do have a fair share of some of the world. What we need is to bring in the better parts – good governance, good habits in the people, discipline and all. Still, it’s up to us to make ourselves a more decent society. Leaders certainly can’t be depended on to do everything. I’d say though that’s what the Ateneo people are falling into.
Martial law of Apo lakay Marcos Masagana99 legacy ended in September 21, 1981, the Great nation Apo lakay Marcos of Great Nation Philippines that was fixated to be the real issue of thirty two years MadPnoy Third world Status Creation of a yellow oligarchs self interest family of mass media deception.
Four requisites of Martial Law: (1) Unstoppable insurgency or lawlessness beyond control of the civil society, (2) Recommendation of Congress, (3) concurrence of the Supreme Court, (4) Declaration by the President. The ’72 Martial Law had these four. By the way, only a fool will say that Martial Law is a character that runs in a family genes. Pero ang pagiging traydor sa bansa, it runs in the blood.
Sir very true…..
Ah, so that’s what they want: an apology. If Ateneo wants an apology from Marcos, forget it. The Marcos son will always support his father’s regime. Asking for apologies is another tililing rampage thing. And even if he apologizes, nothing will be gained. All who are dead are still dead and it won’t solve the country’s problems. If it will make people feel better, that feeling can go away soon.
And if Marcos should apologize, then the current Aquino should apologize, too.
Bringing up Arche’s article about the vain Filipino penchant for demanding apologies.
Lately, dozens of postings have been dedicated to the revamping and re-interpretation of ‘Marcos’ martial law’, with a view to making this period palatable.. even make it seem like a great idea. The real intent, of course is to touch-up and remake Bong-Bong Marcos’ image in order for him to initially snag the Vice-Presidency, and eventually, the Presidency itself. I get that. I also understand, that in politics, more than in any other enterprise, everything is fair game. It might be helpful, however, to consider that events of some three to four decades ago, when viewed in the ‘rear view mirror’ are, at best, hazy and obscure. Further, when these events are judged on the basis of today’s setting, and not against the context of circumstances obtaining and real then, perceptions would naturally be inaccurate. These articles and postings, to my mind, therefore, are contrived and baseless.
It might also help, if the postings referred to are honest. Bong-Bong, for instance, was not a ‘kid’ during the period of martial law. In September 1972, when martial law was declared, he was a precocious 15-year old; and, in 1986, when the whole Marcos ‘kith and kin’, and ‘kit & kaboodle’ were sneaked out of Malacanang Palace, Bong-Bong was all of 29 years old. He had already been Vice-Governor and Governor as from age 23 and 26.. ‘for goodness sake’.
Unless he was ‘mentally challenged’ growing up, Bong-Bong Marcos.. the ‘unico hijo’ of Ferdie and Meldy.. was in on ‘matters’ of martial law. Now, whoever they were.. who kept their silence; who aided and abetted in its prosecution; and, who benefited from it.. are, themselves, just as guilty as martial law’s instigators. If this should include characters like President Ramos, Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile, Senator Gregorio Honasan, and, yes, Bong-Bong Marcos, that’s just the way it was..is..and, will be. History may be re-written and events may be perceived differently over time; but, facts do not change.
There has been too much euphemism, a lot of sugar-coating, and too many flat-out distortions. How about “let’s try honesty for a change”.
@vagoneto rieles
Do you still remember when you were 15 years old? Can you imagine being in charge of the military and PNP at 15? I don’t think so. BBM was a teenager during the height of atrocities of Martial Law. Which part of that is so hard to understand?
There are so many other “adults” who need to be accountable but you and other people like you make it look like BBM has to answer for Martial Law atrocities alone.
Besides, why didn’t Cory prosecute FVR and Enrile for their roles? That is something you conveniently ignore. It says a lot about how corrupt she was and how she perpetuated impunity for 30 years now.
Thanks for your comments, Ms Ilda. You are indeed smart and well informed. I’m surprised, however, that you did not address the salient points of what I had written. You picked instead the only one point that you might build an argument on.. Bong-Bong’s being a 15-year old teenager once; A precocious 15-year old, though, who was aware of his environment then, but who still, to this day, remains muted owing to his realization that such was toxic and dangerous for those over whom his family ruled then. A little more candor.. a little more humility..and, perhaps just a smidgen of compassion might help. (Please don’t mention ‘apology’ if at all you reply. This is not even about remorse.)
Again, thanks.
Gee…how do you know this? Seems you insist on painting a picture of a 15 year old BBM who knew very well what was going on around him. You’re not being very realistic. If you were the head of the mafia, would you tell your children everything? I’m sure you won’t, for their own protection.
Do you think he knew what rogue members of the military were doing during Martial Law? I bet his own father wasn’t even aware of them. There are sociopaths in every organization especially in the military.
It’s all about perception. To some people, he is a symbol of unity. He doesn’t say anything bad about his political opponents and has the ability to focus on the task ahead.
What lack of compassion are you talking about? He didn’t do any crime, none that we are aware of and as mentioned before, some of the victims of the “atrocities” should have seen it coming as mentioned by Tiglao and Samonte – people who were actually part of the revolution. Some of the rebels were also intent on harming other people. I’d rather believe their words than yours because you are playing the victim card even when you were not part of the revolution back then.
Seems you have been brainwashed into thinking that all those who died were innocent people. Some of them were trying to grab power by force. It’s time for you to take a look at this whole episode in a different light.
“..take a look at this whole episode in a different light.” I guess that says it all. You’ve just made my point.
What’s so wrong about considering other angles? You can’t keep swallowing what the “victors” have been telling us for the last 30 years particularly since they didn’t do much to prosecute the real architects of Martial Law. You want to blame someone who was still a kid when ML was declared. That’s unfair and unrealistic.
Did you know that the human brain doesn’t get fully developed until we hit 25? Read this:
Is 25 the new cut-off point for adulthood?
@Ilda
YOU miss one LARGE point: Bong Bong Marcos is going to inherit the fortune his Mother is openly bragging about.These are the funds and A$$ET$ stolen from the Filipino nation during his Father’s ADMINISTRATION. The Marcos family owns PLDT,A BANK and many many other critical parts of the economy.AND THEY STOLE IT, yet BBM doesn’t mention what he will do with all that MONEY when he inherits it,DOES HE?
SO IDGAS WHAT BBM SAYS ABOUT ANYTHING, UNTIL HE AND HIS FAMILY GIVE BACK WHAT THEY STOLE, THEY SHOULD BE EXILED…THROWN BACK OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
and,please, dont give me that crap about,PROVE IT. Everyone knows that Imelda is bragging about having fanastic wealth and they did not earn it either.
@ Ms Beazley… Well said Ma’am; and with upper case letters too.
“…he is going to inherit”?? There are GLOBAL FREEZE orders on all assets of the Marcoses acquired prior to 1986 not only coming from the PHL and that international Anti-Money Laundering body based in Paris, but also by the US, as they have done on the Shah of Iran, etc etc, or are you ignorant about this?. And those orders have NOT been lifted; so, how can the Marcoses be in control of so called wealth? But, you seem to know some billions the Marcoses are hiding in their garage, this or that warehouse, this or that bank, but you don’t want to spell them out; WHY IS THAT???
Cory and Jovy Salonga hired some of the best bounty hunters in the world with the suspicion that FM hid his bank accounts under fictitious names, but PCGG has not been open how much these experts recovered and what was the ROI of these projects. WHY IS THAT???
The PCGG have been hiring many legal experts, and they come and go. Some time in the 90s, there were news coming out that some of these legal minds have suddenly had the financial capacities to build mansions in Alabang and other exclusives enclaves. An investigation was initiated, but soon everybody, including the media, forgot about this. WHY IS THAT???
Of course, what has been plundered has to returned!! An agency, an ENTIRE agency, has been created SPECIFIC just for the Marcoses, and not for other alleged plunderers. But, where is the performance HISTORY of PCGG? Why have they not been explicit about this? And you want the assets returned to a body that has not been that opened and honest to the public??? WHY IS THAT???
PCGG claims to have recovered four billion Dollars. Why has not one of Martial Law victims been paid even if the government already has this much money under their control. WHY IS THAT???
Most of these four billion were recovered in the 90s. The #NeverAgain keep on recycling the stories, as if it was the PNoy admin who did the job. WHY IS THAT???
They claim six billion Dollars are still to be recovered. What is the basis of this estimate? They must have a basis, and with the global freeze still holding, the whole system is very much stacked AGAINST the Marcoses. So, why have they not recovered them after 30 years, YES AFTER fucking LONG 30 years. It must therefore be a complicated legal matter. And your simple mind think it is a simple matter. WHY IS THAT???
FM from Hawaii kept sending emissaries, and continuously at that, to Cory. The emissaries had only one message: he was willing to face the accusations in the courts. If Cory agreed we probably would have a clearer picture of what they call the “ill gotten wealth”, or maybe not. But, it would probably have been a better, if not the best, effort, instead of shuffling today through the mountain of papers that a dead person could no longer explain. This is now water under bridge because we now understand Cory operated under fear and hatred of Marcos. But with that mistake, which really shows her lack of responsibility to the people and which made things difficult thereafter, the Yellows would now say: “why are you making things difficult, Marcoses?” But, it is the Yellows who made, and are making, things difficult. So, WHY IS THAT???
For propaganda purposes??? But with that, the Yellows are instead trumpeting their failures in the last 30 years. So, WHY IS THAT???
If FM was really that evil as they want to portray him, would he pass on such assets to his family whose members would be the very first ones to be investigated? They better be consistent, is he so evil or not? If FM is really that manipulative, then the wealth must be with cronies, isn’t it? So far, they got some from the Benedictos, Disinis, etc, and Security Bank, Allied Bank, etc., but not much more from Danding, JPE, etc. Why has the effort stopped? Is it because the Yellows are now in bed with these very cronies? Some say there is no way to recover now these wealth because EDSA1 has basically released the cronies from their responsibilities and accountabilities to FM. WHY IS THAT???
The experts now embedded with the Yellows probably know that people are barking on wrong tree by attacking the Marcoses: “return the money”. Why not also: “CRONIES, return the money!!” ??? WHY IS THAT???
Marcoses keep on asking why. They keep on saying they have so far complied with ALL final and executory rulings from the courts, but the NeverAgain will not listen. WHY IS THAT???
Are the Yellows interested in resolving the issue, or not? Is it because once it is resolved, they could no longer have their girly fits, and propaganda?? WHY IS THAT???
And, you are asking BLOGGERS to write about this so complicated a subject matter?? When no respectable legal mind has even written about this comprehensibly??? And yet, would devour and promote a book written by a crackpot?? WHY IS THAT???
Is this about covering up a more profound failure in the last 30 years??? So, they can continue with their impunity?? PNoy left his successor a debt of USD 130 plus Billion, of which USD about 89 Billion is directly attributable to his decisions in the last five years. ADB has already said that on CCT alone, there has been a leakage of 40%. But never mind 40% for purposes of conservative estimates, let us go just for 10%. 10% of 89 Billion is 8.9 Billion. FM left Cory USD 28 Billion debt. They claim FM got USD 10 big B. How is that possible when he had so many infrastructures in 20 years still very much unmatched in the last 30 years. Where is their estimate coming from? And you ask us to worry about a past which even lawyers and investigators are having a hard time untangling when there is an ON-GOING crime right in our time and our very eyes?? WHY IS THAT???
blaming Martial law fixations moves us away from the real issue of Power grabbing and usurping the Apo lakay Marcos Masagana99 legacy of a great nation Philippines into turing it to a third world status country Philippines. with the help of japan and Malaysia.
@ Herrera, forget about Martial Law, but don’t forget about the A$$ET$ stolen during it. Those A$$ET$ should be confiscated and given back to the people the Marcos family stole it from,with interest,the Filipino nation.
It’s been said before, “..there can be no forgiveness without justice; neither can there be justice without restitution.” Believers of this aphorism are legion. What do the supporters and assorted acolytes of Bong-Bong say? We’d like to know.
How about no? It’s because it will be stolen by other plunderers so what’s the point of it? It’s water under the bridge right now.
Next is you’re gonna say that Henry Sy should give billions to the Filipino people because he’s rich. Typical.
Lies and secrets, they are like a cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind.
Martial law Masagana99 Conversion of a quarter of a million peasants into landowner farmers was the vital success of Apo lakay Marcos twenty two years legacy, the Philippine loan money of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant for 400 million, was crucial point of why our country went down to a third world status. just imagine how much money we lost from japan interest charges that was paid by Cory the Japanese collaborator, it was 5 billion dollars and up to now we are still paying it. not only that he used that reason so his acquired assets in Meralco will continue to manipulation controlling of electricity prices. these people are blood suckers.