martial law

BIDA KA!: Martial Law isyu ng buong bansa

Mga bida, muli na namang nanariwa ang sugat at nagbalik ang mapait na alaala ng Martial Law at diktaduryang Marcos nang paboran ng Korte Suprema sa botong 9-5 ang paglilibing kay dating Pangulo Ferdinand Marcos.

Magkahalong lungkot at pagkadismaya ang aking naramdaman sa desisyong ito na ibinatay lang sa teknikalidad at hindi sa kasaysayan.

Naniniwala rin ako na isinakripisyo ang kasaysayan sa isang pangakong binitiwan noong nakaraang halalan.

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Bago pa man lumabas ang desisyon ng SC, isang resolusyon ang isinulong sa Senado na nagpapahayag na hindi karapat-dapat ilibing sa Libingan ng mga Bayani ang yumaong diktador dahil sa kanyang mga krimen at paglabag sa karapatang pantao noong Martial Law.

Pagkatapos lumabas ang desisyon ng SC, isinalang ang nasabing resolusyon upang pagbotohan kung ito ba ang magiging posisyon ng Senado sa isyu.

Pumabor ako sa resolusyon sa paniwalang dapat magkaroon ng boses ang Senado sa mga malalaki at mahahalagang isyu ng bansa, tulad na lang ng naging desisyon ng Korte Suprema.

Para sa akin, mahalaga na may sabihin ang Senado sa desisyong ito ng SC dahil kapag ipinagwalang-bahala ito ng mga mambabatas, baka masanay na ang taumbayan sa aming pananahimik.

Isinalang sa botohan ang resolusyon ngunit pansamantala itong isinantabi nang mauwi sa tabla ang bilangan noong nakaraang linggo.

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Noong Lunes, muling tinalakay ng Senado ang nasabing resolusyon at pinagbotohan. Ngunit hindi ito nakalusot matapos makakuha lang ng walong boto, kapos sa kailangang numero.

Halos lahat ng senador na pumabor at kumontra sa re­solusyon ay ipinaliwanag ang kanilang boto.

Umagaw sa aking pansin ang pahayag ng isang kapwa mambabatas na ang isyu ng Martial Law ay sa pagitan lang ng dalawang nagbabanggaang pamilya sa pulitika – ang Aquino at Marcos.

Kaya agad akong tumayo at kinontra ang kanyang pahayag sa pagsasabing nakakahiya sa libu-libong namatay, sa libu-libong nawala at sa libu-libong na-torture noong Martial Law na sabihing ito laban lang ng dalawang pamilya.

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Ang pinakamadilim na bahagi ng kasaysayan ng bansa ay hindi lang isyu ng dalawang pamilya. Ito’y matagal nang pro­blema na nakaapekto sa libu-libong pamilya sa bansa.

Maraming pamilya ang nasira at napaghiwalay dahil sa mapait na karanasan noong panahon ng diktaduryang Marcos.

Hanggang ngayon, ang epekto ng Martial Law ay naririyan pa rin, hindi lang sa mga biktima nito, kundi sa ating kasaysayan.

Hanggang ngayon, ang bilyun-bilyong pisong ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan noon ay binabayaran pa rin natin hanggang ngayon.

Hanggang ngayon, marami pa ring pamilya ang humihingi ng hustisya sa mga namatay o nawala nilang mga mahal sa buhay.

Kaya masakit marinig na ang isyu ng paglilibing kay dating Pangulong Marcos Libingan ng mga Bayani ay gusot lang sa pagitan ng dalawang pamilya.

Hindi ito pansariling usapin ng isa o dalawang pamilya kundi ito’y isyu ng mga biktima ng Martial Law, isyu ng ating minamahal na bansa at higit sa lahat, isyu ng ating kasaysayan.

Sen. Bam’s manifestation during the Senate vote on Resolution No. 86

(A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the crimes of the former President Ferdinand Marcos to the Republic, and the human rights violation committed under his regime, render him unfit to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani)

 

Earlier we had the gentleman from Sorsogon talk about the Libingan issue as if it is  framed by just two families, and to be frank, Mr. President, nahihiya ako kapag sinasabi na ito’y issue lang ng Aquino at Marcos.

Nahihiya ako sa libu-libong namatay, sa libu-libong nawala, sa libu-libong na-torture.

Nahihiya po ako sa pamilya ng Senate President at sa tatay ng ating Senate President.

Nahihiya po ako sa PDP Laban na binuo para labanan ang diktadura.

This is not just an issue of two families.

This is a problem that has plagued thousands of families in our country – families that have been destroyed, families that have been broken apart until today.

Ang epekto po niyan ay nandiyan pa rin hindi lang po sa mga pamilyang biktima ng martial law, kundi sa ating kasaysayan.

 Gusto ko lang igiit muli:

Ang isyu po ng Libing ni Former President Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani ay hindi lang isyu ng ilang pamilya. Hindi lang po ito isyu ng mga biktima ng Martial Law, kundi isyu ng ating bayan at ng ating kasaysayan.

At tama lang po na may sabihin tayo tungkol sa isyu na ito.

Maraming salamat po.

Bam: Truth about Martial Law must still be taught in schools

Sen. Bam Aquino’s push for truthful and objective Martial Law education in schools is one of the ways to move forward after the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“It’s really disappointing but we will continue to work with DepEd on truthful and accurate Martial Law education. That’s how we can move forward,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

The senator pointed out that the young people have to be informed about the human rights abuses committed during the Marcos’ reign.

 Sen. Bam stressed that only way the country can move on from this is if the Marcos family apologizes for their wrongdoings and return the money they have stolen from the country’s coffers during the late dictator’s rule.

“Moving on is fine pero kung titingnan mo, wala naman silang perang binalik. Wala namang pagpapapatawad na hiningi,” said Sen. Bam.

 Earlier, Sen. Bam denounced the SC decision, saying it focused only on technicalities and did not give weight on historical facts about what happened during the Martial Law era.

 “Technically correct, pero historically wrong ang nangyaring desisyon,” the senator said.

Bam: ‘Historical revisionism’ of Martial Law slap in face of victims

Sen. Bam Aquino expressed alarm over the “historical revisionism” efforts to make it appear that the Martial Law era was the golden years in our country’s history saying, “it’s a slap in the face of the thousands who were unjustly tortured and killed during that period”.
 
“Hindi lang siya nakakalimutan, binabago na ang ating kasaysayan. Iyon iyong mas nakakabahala, na tila sinasabi na sa panahon ng Martial Law, walang namatay, walang kinulong, walang tinorture,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“It’s a disservice and a slap in the face for those victims na parang kinakalimutan natin ang masamang nangyari noong panahon na iyon,” added Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress.
 
According to historical records, 3,257 were killed, around 35,000 were tortured while 70,000 were incarcerated during the Martial Law rule, which ran from 1972 to 1981.
 
In addition to the rampant human rights violation, an estimated $10 billion in government money was stolen, according to Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) records.
 
As part of his advocacy to educate today’s youth about the horrors of Martial Law, Sen. Bam recently conducted an investigation to determine how it is being taught in public elementary, high schools and colleges.
 
During the hearing, the Department of Education, through Sec. Leonor Briones, revealed that the agency would introduce a new curriculum and new textbooks in the next few months that will provide accurate details about the dark side of the Martial Law era.
 
“We’re happy that DepEd is undergoing the change in curriculum at sabi nga nila, ipapakita nila ang mas kumpletong larawan ng Martial Law. Palagay ko kasi, ang lumang textbook natin, ayaw ipakita iyong mga masamang nangyari sa ating bansa,” Sen. Bam said.
 
“Secretary Briones herself said na itong curriculum change, makikita ng mga kabataan natin iyong kasamaan ng Martial Law, which is, of course, the corruption and human rights abuses,” he added.
 
Sen. Bam is confident that if the youth are properly informed about what really occurred during the Martial Law era, they can scrutinize what they see online.
 
“Kung mayroon silang pundasyon kung ano ang tama at ano ang mali, ano iyong nangyari at ano iyong hindi nangyari, pag online na sila ay mas may kakayahan silang suriin kung ano talaga ang katotohanan,” Sen. Bam said.

Bam on Martial Law Education, Historical Revisionism

Transcript of media interview after the Senate hearing of the Committee on Education on Martial Law Education

Sen. Bam: Unang una, iyong mga textbook mismo may problema na. The textbook we showed earlier, although ito iyong nire-replace ng bagong curriculum, talagang walang nakalagay tungkol sa pagnakaw ng panahong iyon, walang nakalagay tungkol sa tens of thousands na kinulong, the thousands na pinatay.

We’re happy that DepEd is undergoing the change in curriculum at sabi nga nila, ipapakita nila ang mas complete picture. Palagay ko kasi, ang lumang textbook natin, ayaw ipakita iyong mga masamang nangyari sa ating bansa.

Maybe it’s human nature that we don’t want to face the ugliness of our history. Ngayon, Secretary Briones herself said na itong curriculum change, sisikapin nila na buo iyong picture, mas makikita ng mga kabataan natin iyong downside ng Martial Law, which of course, is the corruption and human rights abuses.

Palagay ko, kung andiyan ang pundasyon ng kaalaman [ng kabataan], mas madali nilang susuriin ang nakikita nila online.

Kung mayroon silang foundation of what is right, what is wrong, ano iyong nangyari, ano iyong hindi nangyari, pag online na sila ay mas may kakayahan silang suriin kung ano talaga iyong nangyari o hindi.

It starts with our educational system. Palagay ko doon talaga magsisimula.

Maganda rin na nasabi ni Sec. Briones na hindi lang itong parte ng ating kasaysayan ang kanilang ni-review. The whole history ni-review. One of the other senators mentioned about the human rights abuses of the Americans. We talked about human rights abuses in other administrations and of course, iyong panahon ng Martial Law.

Magandang pangitain ito na mayroong mga pagbabago tayong makikita at iyong mga textbook natin na kulang-kulang, sana talagang palitan natin at mabago na talaga siya.

Q: After 44 years, alarmed ka ba na nakakalimutan na ang Martial Law?

Sen. Bam: Hindi lang siya nakakalimutan, nababago iyong ating kasaysayan. Iyon iyong mas nakakabahala na tila sinasabi na ang panahon ng Martial Law, walag namatay, walang kinulong, walang tinorture.

In fact, the textbook that I read from noong unang part ng hearing, kung babasahin mo iyon, parang napakasaya ng panahon ng Martial Law.

Nakakahiya sa mga tao gaya ni Sec. Briones. Siya mismo Martial Law victim. Siya mismo nahirapan noong panahong iyon.

It’s a disservice and a slap in the face for those victims na parang kinakalimutan natin ang masamang nangyari noong panahon.

Sometimes, we just have to face the fact na may masamang nangyari sa ating kasaysayan. Kung kinakalimutan natin iyan, we’re bound to repeat the same mistakes.

Q: Sabi ni Sec. Briones, the transition takes time. How soon you want to see the changes?

Sen. Bam: Technically itong curriculum change, 2013 pa ito. Ongoing pa iyong transition. This year, because of the transition, hindi maituturo gamit ang textbook ang Martial Law sa ating mga estudyante. It won’t be taught because it belongs in the old Grade 6 curriculum. Dahil may transition, hindi talaga siya maituturo this year.

Sa ibang mga eskuwelahan, iyong mga teachers ang nagkukusa na maglabas ng sariling learning materials. In fairness to those teachers, they’re doing their best to teach about it but with all of these transitions that are happening, may mga pagkukulang na kailangang punuan.

Alam naman iyan ng DepEd but we’re hoping that in the years to come, itong curriculum na mas kumpleto, mas naipapakita iyong masasamang nangyari din, iyon iyong gamitin sa ating mga eskuwelahan.

Q: Hindi po ba kayo naa-alarm sa efforts online to revise history, lalo na pagdating sa Martial Law?

Sen. Bam: That’s one of the reasons why na siniguro natin na mayroon tayong hearing about Martial Law education. May efforts online pero kung iyong mga eskuwelahan, kumpleto naman iyong tinuturo tungkol sa Martial Law, iyon ang talagang panlaban natin diyan. The NHCP, si chairperson Diokno herself said, historical fact na ang mga bagay-bagay na ito. Hindi na ito disputable. We have laws already talking about the atrocities of Martial Law. Natatakot ba tayo o nahihiya na pag-usapan ang masasamang bagay sa ating kasaysayan? Palagay ko, kailangan nating harapin iyan so we won’t repeat the mistakes of the past at iyong ating bayan din, makita natin na buo ang ating kasaysayan. Wala tayong kinakalimutan na mga bagay bagay.

Q: May efforts iyong online groups to make people aware na medyo niloko daw sila. Iyong mga tinuro sa kanila, like the Aquino family, change history in their favor…

Sen. Bam: Alam mo. Sabihin mo iyan sa mukha ng mga Martial Law victims. Tell it to them. Tell it straight to their face na hindi sila na-torture, hindi sila kinulong, hindi namatay iyong mga taong namatay, namatayan. Sila mismo. The list is quite long. Sabi nga ni Sec. Briones, baka hindi lang iyan 70,000. Baka more than 70,000 pa iyan because hindi pa nailalagay iyong mga victims in the Visayas and Mindanao. We owe it to them to be able to talk about these atrocities.

Q: Nabanggit po sa hearing sa Germany mayroong law to make sure na magtuturo ng holocaust…

Sen. Bam: Mayroon na tayong batas niyan. Iyon iyong isang bagay na ni-raise ko during the hearing. Our Martial Law Victim Reparation Act of 2013, Section 27, nakalagay doon na kinakailangan na iyong ating CHED at DepEd, pag-usapan iyong mga nangyari noong Martial Law, the atrocities para hindi na ito maulit uli.

It’s already in our laws, kailangan lang talaga itong i-implement nang maayos.

Senate to probe Martial Law education in basic, tertiary education

One day before the country commemorates one of the darkest chapters in its history, the Senate is set to conduct an inquiry to determine the status of Martial Law education in basic and tertiary education.
 
Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Education, will lead the probe jointly with the Committee on Youth on Tuesday (September 20) at 9 a.m..
 
The Senate set the inquiry after Sen. Aquino filed Senate Resolution No. 29 to look into how the Martial Law era is being taught in high school and colleges all over the country. 
 
Expected to attend the hearing are Department of Education (DepEd) Sec.  Leonor Briones,  National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairperson Maria Serena Diokno and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairman Chito Gascon.
 
Sen. Bam saw the need to look into the matter, especially with the propagation of erroneous information on the Internet regarding the Martial Law, declared by former President Ferdinand Marcos on Sept. 21, 1972.
 
“Kailangan nating malaman kung paano tinuturo ng Martial Law sa ating kabataan at siguraduhin na ang katotohanan ang nananaig sa ating mga paaralan,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“Napansin natin na mukhang nagkaroon na ng pagbabago sa kasaysayan. Nakakalungkot ang pangyayaring ito dahil tila kinalimutan na ang mga nagsakripisyo ng buhay noong panahon ng diktarudya,” he added.
 
According to historical records, 3,257 were killed, while an estimated 35,000 were tortured, and 70,000 incarcerated during the Martial Law rule, which ran from 1972 to 1981.
 
Aside from the rampant human rights violation during that time, an estimated $10 billion in government money was stolen, according to Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) records.

Bam set to probe status of Martial Law education in schools

Senator Bam Aquino has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry to determine the status of education on Martial Law in basic and tertiary education.

“Sa dami ng maling impormasyon na kumakalat sa Internet, kailangan nating malaman kung paano tinuturo ang Martial Law sa ating kabataan at siguraduhin na ang katotohanan ang nananaig sa ating mga paaralan,” said Sen. Bam in his Senate Resolution No. 29.

 Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress,  stressed that the younger generations must be made aware of the horrors of Martial Law, considered as the darkest years in Philippine history.

“Napansin natin na mukhang nagkaroon na ng pagbabago sa kasaysayan. Ang Martial Law ay sinasabing golden years ng Pilipinas, na malayung-malayo sa katotohanan,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 “Nakakalungkot ang pangyayaring ito dahil tila kinalimutan na ang mga nagsakripisyo ng buhay noong panahon ng diktadurya,” he added.

 According to historical records, 3,257 were killed, while an estimated 35,000 were tortured, and 70,000 incarcerated during the Martial Law rule, which ran from 1972 to 1981.

 Aside from the rampant human rights violation during that time, an estimated $10 billion in government money was stolen, according to Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) records.

Statement of Bam Aquino on Marcos Burial

Bam: Fight Twisting of Truth About Martial Law

Senator Bam Aquino urged Filipinos to continue retelling the stories of Martial Law, saying “the sacrifices, atrocities and heroism during the darkest years in our country’s history should not be forgotten and must be imparted to today’s generation”.

“Hindi dapat ibaon sa limot ang madilim na bahagi ng ating kasaysayan kung saan maraming buhay ang nasakripisyo at maraming karapatan ang niyurakan,” said Sen. Bam as the country commemorated the 43rd anniversary of Martial Law yesterday (Monday).

 During the Martial Law years from 1972 to 1981, thousands of people opposed to the Marcos government were either killed, tortured or went missing.

 Aside from that, Sen. Bam said the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) estimated that the country’s coffers lost around $10 billion during Marcos’ reign.

Sen. Bam expressed concern as there are efforts to distort the truth, especially in social media and on the Internet, to make it appear that the Philippines had its best years during the Marcos administration.

“For those who remember Martial Law, it is our responsibility to impart the truth to the next generation to create awareness among our youth on what really happened during that time,” said Sen. Bam, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

The senator also called on the youth to not be easily swayed and misled by stories being disseminated online, saying they must examine their veracity and truthfulness.

“Maging masinop sa pagsisinsin ng mga lumalabas sa Internet, halukayin ang mga kuwento at huwag basta maniwala,” Sen. Bam stressed.

Sen. Bam’s uncle, Ninoy Aquino, was among those arrested, imprisoned and tortured during the Martial Law. Ninoy was tagged as Prisoner No. 1 as he was arrested moments after Martial Law was declared.

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