Oppose ‘historical revisionism’ amid proposed Marcos Day in Ilocos Norte —Makabayan solons

The House Makabayan Bloc on Thursday urged the public to continue opposing "historical revisionism" following the approval of the House measure declaring September 11 of every year as "President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day" in Ilocos Norte.

"Huwag nating hayaan itong itinutulak na rebisyonismo na gustong pabanguhin ang pangalan ng mga Marcos," said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate in a virtual press conference.

"Naitala na sa kasaysayan na si Marcos ay hindi bayani, siya ay diktador, siya ay mandarambong, siya ay mamamatay-tao at hindi ito mabubura lamang sa pamamagitan ng ganitong paglalabas ng isang batas na i-celebrate ang kanyang birthday as Marcos Day kahit sabihin natin na sa isang probinsya lang yan," he added.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading the measure declaring September 11 a special non-working holiday in the province of Ilocos Norte to commemorate the birthday of the late dictator.

"His extraordinary display of leadership and incomparable brilliance serves as an inspiration to his fellow Ilocanos," said Ilocos Norte Representative Angelo Marcos Barba, one of the authors of the measure and the dictator's nephew.

"He is a man of vision, action, and wisdom. Thus, it is only necessary that his life, works, remarkable achievements, and inherent love for his fellow Ilocanos be remembered," he added.

Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago said there is nothing to celebrate in "fascism, tyranny, dictatorship, and corruption" during the Marcos regime.

"Kaya naman ang kabataan ay tumututol sa paglalaan ng araw sa isang napatalsik ng mamamayang Pilipino dahil naghumiyaw, nagpanawagan na tam na ang mga abuso, mga katiwalian, ang mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao," Elago said.

Echoing Elago's statement, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas also said there is nothing celebratory about the "3,257 extrajudicial killings, 35,000 documented tortures, 77 forced disappearances, and 70,000 incarcerations" during the two decades of Marcos' rule.

"It is despicable that this government is trying to sanitize the legacy of the Marcoses. We call on all Filipino people to remain steadfast amidst these dire times where democracy is being buried into the graves of oblivion," Brosas added.

The proposed holiday in Ilocos Norte is also a grave injustice to the victims of Marcos martial law, said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite.

"We should never forget yung martial law, yung madilim na kasaysayan. Kaya hindi kami makakapayag na ito ay gunitain," he said.

"Dahan-dahan na nire-revise ang ating kasaysayan. Hindi kami makakapayag kaya tutol kami sa ganitong panukala na inaprubahan sa mababang kapulungan ng Kongreso," he added.

Although the measure is already approved on final reading in the House, ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro is hoping that it would get the same approval in the Senate.

"Sana hindi ito maaprubahan sa Senado kasi kahiya-hiya ang Pilipinas sa pagbibigay ng ganito kalaking importansya sa isang magnanakaw, mamamatay-tao na naitala sa ating kasaysayan," she said.

Marcos was born on September 11, 1917 in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, and went on to become the representative of Ilocos Norte's second district at the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959.

He was then elected as a Senator of the Philippines before becoming the 10th president of the country in 1965.

Marcos held the highest government position in the country for two decades until 1986, when he was removed from power following the bloodless first EDSA People Power Revolution.

Corazon Aquino, the widow of assassinated Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., succeeded Marcos from the presidency. — BM, GMA News