#lnmb

Let history itself decides who the real hero and who is not.

 On November 30,2016, people from all walks of life, flocked to EDSA People Power Monument to air their disgust and anger on the decision of President Rody Duterte to bury Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani (graveyard of heroes), as well as the sneaky manner the Marcos family buried the remains of Marcos. The event is also significant for on that day, is Bonifacio Day, a legal national holiday that commerates the death of Andres Bonifacio, a plebian, in the hands of Emilio Aguinaldo’s henchmen. Bonifacio founded the Kataas-taasang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK), an underground organization of common folks against the rule of Spaniards in the Philippines.

The man pictured above is holding a DIY plackard with pictures of two iconic figures in Philippine history. Andres Bonifacio and Ferdinand Marcos. 

Bonifacio who led the revolution against oppression of  the Spaniards and Marcos who put the entire nation in martial law, looted billions of pesos from the national treasury, and killed so many people during his reign for two decades.

Anointed by the late president Cory, Fidel V. Ramos (the chief of the Philippine Constabulary during the Martial Law) became one our President. Juan Ponce Enrile (the chief administrator of the military force) was also given a good office. And was later elected senator–even as Senate president during Noynoy administration. 

These two were solely responsible and accountable of the tortures and deaths of those thousand communist activist your were talking about. Sila yung mga nagpapatatay dun sa mga aktibista, dun sa mga pinagkamalang komunista na mostly ay mga kabataan. But why were they elected? Ni hindi sila nanagot kahit katiting sa mga kasalanan nila? No one I guess, filed a cased against them. Sila yung nasa ground eh, overseer lang tong si Macoy. 

Dahil ba kasi tumulong silang mas palubugin pang lalo ang palubog ng barko ni Marcos? So dahil trinaydor nila yung boss nila, abswelto na? I don’t think so.

Isapa dalawa sa mga Aquino ang naging presidente ng bansa, bakit wala man lang sa kanila ang nagpasa ng panukalang batas para HINDI MAILIBING SI MARCOS SA LNMB? Kung totoong gusto nilang mabigyan talaga ng hustiya yung mga namatay bakit wala silang ginawa? Are they really that concerned about those victims o ginagamit lang nilang rason yun para sa kanilang sariling interes?

Presidents have veto powers which practically can go above the law, if supported by the majority of his/her constituents. Ang tanong, bakit hindi nila magawang magpasabatas ng EO na magpapatigil sa paglibing kay Marcos sa LNMB? O i-influence ang SC court para magawa nila yun? Diba galit sila kay Marcos? 

Ngayon na meron tayong presidente na mas piniling tuparin kung ano ang nakasaad sa saligang batas, papalag na kayo. Eh kung noon pa sana yan ginawa eh wala na sana tayong problema ngayon.

Marcos is indeed no HERO in the name of morality pero practically hindi yan totoo. He is included as one of the 39 awardee of Medal of Valor–in the new AFP Hall of Heroes in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. ( http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/673563/afp-hall-heroes-includes-marcos)

Everyday, my appreciation for the huge turnout of the youth in various protests all over the country today grows bigger and bigger. Their unwavering conviction to fight for the remembrance of the atrocities in the past and scars that have yet to heal inspire and empower me to stay firm with my own opinion and beliefs. It is true that this country needs healing and I agree with the president that…

If people think that the burial doesn’t affect us, it already has. People can’t even visit their dead relatives and friends in peace unless they pledge they’re a Marcos loyalist.

Stricter security for non-Marcos loyalists at Libingan

By Rex Remitio, CNN Philippines Updated 17:26 PM PHT Sun, November 20, 2016

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Visitors who aren't Marcos supporters but have a relative buried inside the Libingan ng mga Bayani are having a hard time getting in the cemetery.

The army has been implementing stringent security measures since the surprise burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos on Friday afternoon.

Cars of visitors are barred from getting inside. They must instead take the coaster provided by the cemetery.

Some visitors vented their anger on the security personnel at the gate, saying the tight security causes them inconvenience and discomfort.

Marcos loyalists, meanwhile, must have a commemorative sticker to get in. Their names are also being vetted in the family's guest list.

They are also asked to which Marcos support group they belong.

The army is appealing to the public for some understanding as the security situation remains delicate.

This comes after anti-Marcos protesters are threatening to occupy the cemetery or exhume the remains of the former president.

At least 800 loyalists paid their respect to their "mahal na apo lakay." Most of them are from Ilocos Norte. They wore "salamat apo" t-shirts.

Former first lady Imelda and former Senator Bongbong Marcos were also there at the Libingan ng mga Bayani but didn't face the media.

I was at a Student Leaders Assembly of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila last December 2014. One speaker on that event called us, “Mga Pasaway” for the reason that on a weekend where exams are just around the corner we decided to go to that event and listen. He then justified that, us, being pasaways can be a positive thing for the society. 

According to tagaloglang.com, Pasaway is someone who mischievously insists on behaving contrary to what is expected in a situation, almost as if purposely baiting to be told not to. 

The definition is fitting for the generation who, instead of studying goes to computer shops late at night. Who, instead of obeying their parents to not get into a romantic relationship will be seen holding hands with his girlfriend or boyfriend at malls. Also, young adults and teenagers who go to the streets protesting for something.

As I look back, the speaker was right. We are pasaways because instead of studying for our exams we are there participating in an open forum about SK Reforms and Aquino administration. I write this article because there are posts about High School students up until the collegiate level who occupied EDSA, did a noise barrage, rallied in Katipunan, posting on social media, about the issue of the late President Ferdinan Marcos being  buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. 

One argument is, we are too young and why don’t we just study. Yes we are too young but not too young to be involved. What’s the point of putting up a Student Government or Council during our High School if we cannot put that involvement outside campus? Also, we study and the reason why all these things are happening is because we do study. Our teachers should be proud that we are on the streets and defending our principles, a professor in Ateneo postponed his class because he said that there are alot of things to be learned other than what we will learn in the classroom. 

Another argument is we do not know anything or even experienced what happened then so we should not be affected. The documentaries, films, news, and experiences of other people, probably is enough. We do not ask the Marcos family to apologize to our generation, they should apologize to the families affected by the killings, sexual abuses, and missing personalities. Maybe we are not affected by the Martial Law but we are affected up until now by the debts of that administration. We are taxpayers, one way or another. 

There are other arguments but let me only cite thosr two. Maybe we are not there. Maybe we were not yet alive back then but we know that sexual abuse is wrong, we know that killing just because you feel like it is wrong, stealing is wrong, and all of those stuffs that happened. Don’t go at me with the projects of the Marcos administration, I admire the mind of Marcos. He is not stupid, he has a brilliant mind but alongside Imelda Marcos and his administration who started all those negative things that happened under his watch, that I do not admire.