Ateneo, DLSU presidents: Do not gloss over abuses, horror of Martial Law

MANILA, Philippines — University presidents are urging students and the academic community to dig deeper into the history of martial law under ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos at a time when some are "creatively" distorting it.

On the eve of the commonly acknowledged anniversary of the declaration of martial law, Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin SJ and De La Salle University President Br. Raymundo Suplido told their students: “We do not call this day a holiday or a special day of commemoration. We cannot celebrate this day of infamy.”

“Rather, this day must remind us of what we almost lost, and what we may lose again, if we are not vigilant and wise,” their joint statement read.

Marcos faced the Filipino public to delare martial law on September 23, but Proclamation 1081 was dated September 21.

The two University presidents, whose schools are traditional rivals, urged their students to “do all they can to understand and learn the lessons of history. Be critical in assessing the truth of what really took place from September 1972 to February 1986.”

“Do not gloss over the abuses of power, the horrors of state-sponsored violence and the assault against our fundamental freedoms. Do not be deceived by the false claims of those who want to revise our history,” they added.

Members of academic communities must also “not abdicate their duty to educate the next generation on truths of our history even more so when people threaten to creatively destroy them.”

'Never again'

The University presidents also said that the students must say “never again,” with even more fervor, especially as there are those who “naively” say that it is time to move on from the horrors of martial law.

“We say there can be no moving on without admittance, contrition and reparation,” they added.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., have both said that it is time for people to “move on" from their father's decades in power.

The government, earlier this year, released reparations to around 11,000 victims of human rights violations during the Marcos this year,

READ: Youth groups to Marcos: We haven't moved on

The younger Marcos, also on the eve of the martial law anniversary, released a video with former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to put forth a narrative that runs counter to the documented history of that time. 

Enrile was Defense minister to President Marcos but withdrew support for him in 1986, prompting a standoff that led to the People Power Revolution.

Several universities and youth groups plan to attend protests on Friday. The groups are expected to converge at the Luneta Park at 4:00 p.m.

UP Day of Remembrance

The University of the Philippines, a hotspot for activism and dissent during martial law, will hold its first “Day of Remembrance” on Friday.

UP President Danilo Concepcion earlier this week signed Proclamation 1, Series of 2018, declaring September 21 of each year as “UP Day of Remembrance.”

The proclamation urges "the holding of special lectures, meetings, and ceremonies" to remember the declaration of martial law and the university's role in the resistance against it and the dictatorship of Marcos. 

The proclamation noted that martial law, which some claim were a golden age for the Philippines, "resulted in severe political and economic repression, generating widespread discontent and resistance to martial law."

The declaration of September 21 as a day of remembrance was one of the measures that Concepcion mentioned in his apology earlier this month after a Kabataang Barangay reunion with Imee Marcos drew flak from members of the UP community and from social media users.

Concepcion also issued a memorandum encouraging the UP community to take part in UP Day of Remembrance activities.

“While there will be no suspension of work and classes, members of the UP community may be excused from their work or their classes for the duration of the activity,” Concepcion said.