Marcos and Palparan's terror chills even today

The likes of a dictator celebrates the same date of birth, late President Ferdinand Marcos and Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.

The terror they both sowed in our country chills even to this day as both Palparan and Marcos families mark the birthdays of "the butcher" and "Macoy."

The terror of Marcos' counter insurgency Oplan Katatagan, through which thousands were killed, disappeared, tortured, and imprisoned during the 70's to early 80's, is a continuing legacy of state repression which resembles Aquino's Oplan Bayanihan.

In his fourth year in office, Aquino is already accountable for 204 extrajudicial killings,18 of which are minors, 21 enforced disappearances, 99 cases of torture, 207 frustrated killings, and 39,800 victims of forced evacuations due to intense military operations.

As the main implementer of such counter-insurgency programs, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, its regular forces and paramilitaries, serves as mercenaries of the rich and powerful who dominate the political, economic and cultural landscape of Philippine society. The AFP breeds butcher generals like Palparan, and they continue to terrorize communities to this day.

Palparan is facing charges in court for the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Palabay cited Gen. Eduardo Ano, involved in the disappearance of Jonas Burgos and now the series of rights violations in Kapalong, Davao del Sur which he is deployed as the commander of the 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.

Even the craving for dictatorial powers is a Marcos symptom which Aquino is showing. Aquino's desire for term extension, changing the constitution to reduce the powers of the judiciary are signs of a dictatorship which Marcos had during his very-extended-terms.

But as history showed, leaders like Marcos, and generals like Palparan are either ousted or jailed by the Filipino people. The same can happen to the current administration, even to his generals.

Jovito Salvana Palparan was born Sept. 11, 1950 while Ferdinand Marcos was born Sept. 11, 1917.

Coincidentally, it was also on September 11, 2001 when the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the United States were brought down by Al Qaida elements. This incident became the US government's justification for intensifying wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the rest of the world against so-called "terrorists" and killed hundreds of thousand lives, including women and children in all religions and races. In the Philippines, former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo adopted the US government's "war against terror" to justify the numerous rights abuses during her term.

Cristina Palabay

Secretary General

Karapatan