‘Hero’

Ben Contreras

 THE issue on the Marcos burial plan is again dividing the Filipino people, all because of the word “bayani” or “hero.”

I bet we will never run out of definitions for “hero.” World lexicons will define it in many ways. Nations will interpret it their own ways. Politics will have its own version. Personal bias will have its own assessment.

The issue at hand is never about the meaning of “hero.” It has always been politics. Public sentiment is hardly accurate. More often than not, public outcry has vested interests behind the scene, orchestrating, scheming and pouring their resources to achieve their own hidden agenda.

Those who have firsthand experiences of the brutality of Martial Law will not forget. Never! Those who were only swayed by emotions will change with time especially when the succeeding leaders after Marcos failed to deliver a truly reformed government.

Granting that the late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos is not a hero thus should not be buried at the LNMB… granting that it would be a mistake and a great disservice to the nation to do so, have we ever bothered to check on the people buried at the LNMB? Were they all heroes? If not, why were they buried there and on what consideration?

Politics sometimes makes people blind to what is right, moral and true. Our loyalty to the party we belong or associated with sometimes makes us turn a blind eye to what is the truth of the matter. We allow emotions to take over our head. In the end, we all are the victims and the losers.

It is said that history is written by the victor and because of that, people join in the revelry without questioning the veracity of events.

When Marcos was ousted, the Filipino people rejoiced. Ninoy’s murder made him a hero. Cory’s bruited restoration of democracy was so overblown that some quarters wanted her to be sainted. But when controversies after controversies hounded the administrations after Marcos, the very same people who rose and fought Marcos have shown less intensity to denounce them.

What was Marcos accused of that didn’t happen after him? I put this challenge to anyone. But why do we still have people rallying in the streets? Communists, you say, they are?  CIA-backed if you may?

LONM I supposed was really never intended to be just for heroes, whatever it means. I would like to believe it was meant for past president and our soldiers. It was taken literally due to politics.

Marcos is evil. That’s what we said of him and his strongman rule. That’s what we echo and continue to echo to drown the truth after his regime.

There are many articles that detail the sins of other leaders, their dark secrets, the shameful past. We would rather focus on Marcos and make him a convenient excuse for other’s mistakes. Would that even be fair?

We’re not even sure if Emilio Aguinaldo was a hero or not! Or was he a traitor. Written articles about him are confusing.

If lesser evil is not evil, then it won’t be just Cory that deserves recommendation for sainthood. The rest that followed her are, too. How does Santo Erap, Santo Fidel, Santa Gloria or Santo Noynoy sound to you?

The Filipino has chosen a leader. You may or may not agree with him. But he is the only person who can decide. Rightly or wrongly, let history judge him. Let’s put one issue to rest, popular or not.