[OPINION] Ferdinand Marcos, Philippines' Historical Paradox

I have always witnessed two strong opposing sides. That is why I can only remain neutral about Ferdinand Marcos.

The side that is more mainstream of course is aided by those who took over after ousting Marcos. They are also backed up by the media who are known to pervert the truth.

I've heard stories about Marcos' greatness and his failings. I have never experienced his failings but I don't condone it.

Ferdinand Marcos with Secretary of State George Shultz, 1982

But I've also experienced the failings of the people who abhorred him even to his grave. I've never felt that those people were any different.

Just to clear the smog in some parts of our history,ThinkingPinoy posted the late Salvador H. Laurel's letter to Cory Aquino in his Facebook page.

Excerpt from Salvador H. Laurel, a letter to Cory Aquino.

But the true state of the nation must be told. And the painful truth is that the nation has gone from bad to worse, while you choose to stand aside in the puerile hope that the problems would simply solve themselves. The ‘new moral order’ to which we were solemnly committed has been perverted. It has become a haven for assassins and a den of thieves. Corruption, betrayal of the public trust and other high crimes have been laid at your door, including a complaint for impeachment, which your chief ally in Congress has already consigned to the archives.
We promised our people morality and decency in government. What do we have instead? The very opposite. It is now openly admitted by many, including your former Solicitor-General and some of your own close relatives in Congress, that the stench of “accumulated garbage” — I’m quoting your own first cousin, Congressman Emigdio Tanjuatco, Jr. — rises to high heaven; that the past years of Marcos are now beginning to look no worse than your first two years in office. And the reported controversies and scandals involving your closest relatives have become the object of our people’s outrage.

Was Marcos a hero? For me he wasn't. He could have.

Was he a good President? Perhaps. He was a good provider despite the corruption controversies which hounded his administration and despite his human rights lapses.

Those who ousted him and took over a new government from him could have made a better attempt to overlap his achievements in terms of infrastructures and social services.

But they didn't. They failed. Failure after failure, administration after administration.

That is why this man Ferdinand Marcos will always remain to be one of the Philippines' historical paradox.