Social media backlash hits Marcos Sr. lectures

A series of academic lectures that were apparently meant to upgrade, and hopefully deodorize, the legacy of the sitting President’s late father was held this week in Laoag City. The exercise, however, seems to have provoked a negative backlash in social media.

Numerous netizens lambasted and mocked the activity held last Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Mariano Marcos State University to mark the 107th birthday of Ferdinand E. Marcos, the former president and dictator.

The topics were: “Teaching Marcos to Gen Z,” “Marcos as Ilokano” and “Marcos as a Futures Thinker.” Discussants were faculty members of the university.

“Join us for a discussion as we explain his Ilokano heritage, examine his leadership with an objective lens and reflect on the lasting influence of his vision for national progress,” said the MMSU in a post on its Facebook page on Monday.

A surge of reactions was posted online. Most were highly critical, debunking the paeans about “the enduring legacy of Apo Lakay” and suggesting that topics on his “long list of crimes” against the Filipino people be discussed instead.

“Facts please. Not propaganda. The latest [Supreme Court] decision shows that [Marcos Sr.] is and was a land grabber,” posted Kikz Ranada.

Ranada referred to the SC ruling (promulgated in November 2023 but made public only last Sept. 4) that the Marcoses have no ownership right over a 57-hectare property in Paoay, Ilocos Norte that, in 1978, Marcos Sr. leased for 25 years to the Philippine Tourism Authority. The lease provides that ownership of improvements on the land made during the lease would go to Marcos at the expiration of the contract.

The lease was unconstitutional, the high tribunal said: “(T)here is no showing that the late dictator owned the land when the lease was executed.” Besides, the lease violated the constitutional provision barring a president from holding any financial interest in a government contract, as provided for both in the 1973 and 1986 Constitutions.

Furthermore, since Paoay Lake and its surrounding area were part of a national park, the land is public property that cannot be privately appropriated. Marcos Sr. therefore, is “a mere usurper of public property,” the ruling read.

Certainly, Marcos Sr knew all about these legalities. Yet, he brushed them aside. And his family continued to claim ownership.

Now the Supreme Court has ordered the Marcoses to return the property to the state.

“The decision serves as an undeniable proof that the Marcos family accumulated wealth at the expense of the Filipino people – a historical truth that must not be forgotten, revised, or denied,” declared Gabriela, the progressive women’s organization.

Other netizens openly worried if academic standards were met by the lecture series. “… [S]igurado ba kung anumang facts and figures na makukuha diyan ay peer reviewed?” Aerol John Patena wondered.

And Albert Castillo wrote in his post: “Nagtataka ako, mga social science teachers pa naman din ang mga speakers. Paano kaya nila ituturo yan nang hindi binabaluktot ang FACTS and EVIDENCES, HAHA.”

“A lecture series [about Marcos Sr.] is surely incomplete without discussions of his long list of crimes,” asserted Shalomah Rincodan. She cited an online report by the New York Times titled “Marcos’s wartime role discredited in US files.” She also quoted, from another NYT report titled “Swiss court to return [to the Philippines] some Marcos money:” “In a landmark decision after 11 years of wrangling, the Swiss Supreme Court has ruled that assets belonging to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos should be returned to the Philippines.”

The Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth has been estimated at over $10 billion.

“I-examine niyo din ba lahat ang kanyang crimes and corruption with an ‘objective lens?’” Mylyn Yampan asked in her post. “Or Tallano gold na lang rin kung bakit daw siya naging saksakan nang yaman?”

“Namemeke ng medalya!” taunted the post of Disl Apa. “The US Army concluded after World War II that claims by FEM that he had led a guerrilla unit during the Japanese occupation of his country were ‘fraudulent’ and ‘absurd’.”

Iya Trinidad’s FB post said, “Hoping this also gets discussed as these happened during his leadership.” She attached a Rappler card, which reads: “Martial law by the numbers – 70,000 imprisoned, 34,000 tortured and 3,240 killed.” The numbers were derived from Amnesty International.

“Sana may parallel session,” said Mark Anthony S. Salvador. “Suggestion: Panel A – Pag-abuso sa karapatang pantao sa panahon ng diktadurang Marcos. Panel B – Dinambong na yaman, at pagbagsak ng ekonomiya sa ilalim ng rehimeng Marcos. Panel C – Ferdinand E. Marcos at ang makinarya ng panlilinlang. Panel D – Desaparecidos sa panahon ng batas militar.”

Similar lecture topics were put forward. Katrina Joyce Marigsa Ordunia – Marcos as a Fascist. Michael Santos – Ang legacy ni FEM ay pagnanakaw at human rights violations. Lean Miguel – How about Marcos as murderer and plunderer????

“I would appreciate that this activity will be live-streamed for public consumption,” said Christian Kat Ceriola. “After all, this is a lecture from a state university.” Others suggested that the lecture series be done via Zoom. Ose Martija requested that the lectures be published in print.

On Jan. 6, 1978, Marcos Sr. issued Presidential Decree 1279 establishing the state university honoring his father. PD 1279 merged the then Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Arts and Trades in Batac (the Marcoses’ hometown) and the Northern Luzon State College in Laoag City, and integrated the college departments of the Ilocos Norte National Agricultural College and the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades. Today the MMSU has six campuses in Ilocos Norte.

Truly, the truth sets people free. In 1986, the Filipino people acted on the truth that they had long, and painfully, known. We gathered up the courage and determination to set ourselves free. A re-examination of the Marcosian legacy – why not?

The facts are there.