Unsolicited advice from former CHR chair Rosales to Joma Sison

There are seventy five thousand seven hundred and thirty reasons why the late President Ferdinand Marcos, turned dictator of the Republic of the Philippines who ruled for 21 years, should not be buried in the cemetery of Libingan ng mga Bayani. These reasons, concretized in documents of summary killings, severe torture, enforced disappearances, unlawful arrests and illegal detention are now being verified, validated and adjudicated painstakingly by the Claims Board provided for by Republic Act No. 10368 which was promulgated in 2013 and entered into force last Feb. 25, 2014.

The law, providing for recognition and reparation of victims of human rights violations under Marcos, gives recognition to thousands of Filipinos who fought the dictatorship and sacrificed their life in order to restore to the Filipino nation its dignity, its freedom and its humanity. Most of them come from humble beginnings, but because of their valor and patriotism, the law gives tribute to them as heroes and martyrs.

Is it not the height of irony then that the road to peace and reconciliation should start with giving Ferdinand Marcos, the oppressor of martial law martyrs, recognition as a hero by allowing to have him buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani?

This is not just catering to the “whims” of Imelda, as suggested by Prof. Jose Ma. Sison. This is in fact buckling down to the pressures of the Marcos family to revise history under martial rule - a history of heinous crimes, of plunder and massive corruption where $618 million that had grown from the Swiss dummy foundations of Marcos had been ruled as ill-gotten by the Supreme Court of the Philippines more than a decade ago in 2004.

Through RA 10368, $200 million of this now goes to reparation of martial law victims while the rest is provided for agrarian reform land distribution.

While the entire Filipino nation fully supports the road to peace between the Communists and the Philippine Republic, this road must be anchored on a healing process of truth, compassion and justice.

Making Marcos a hero by burying him in Libingan ng mga Bayani despite a history of thievery and corruption is a betrayal of the Filipino people’s historical struggle against martial rule and repression.

It smacks more like a sell-out, a cop-out and to what ends? Who is to benefit by this arrangement that is now being explored by a few individuals at the top of the ladder?

It is argued that Marcos was a soldier, but his fame in military performance is better known for his fake medals exposed by some military men through the late Congressman Bonifacio Gillego, himself a war veteran.

There are plenty of soldiers who have fought for honor, for honesty, for love of country. They did not murder people and did not steal from the coffers of the nation. Many of them died in battle to defend the integrity of our country. They were courageous and brave. Our fathers are among them.

Let it not be said that we have stopped the struggle for justice, for freedom, for truth and human rights. It must continue. And for those who oppose this struggle, our fight has just begun. –

LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES, former CHR chairperson