N.B. – A student from Ateneo de Manila University emailed nine questions about Marcos and Martial Law. I think my answers are worth sharing, hence this post.

What did Marcos do to help in the development of the country?

Absolutely nothing. He committed grave human rights violations and amassed ill-gotten wealth particularly during the dark years of Martial Law. To say that he helped develop the country is like saying that the edifices built like the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and bridges like the San Juanico Bridge in Leyte could make up for the oppression and repression that happened.

What was it like during Marcos’ time?

I was four years old when Martial Law was declared in 1972 and was graduating from high school when EDSA 1 happened in 1986. I remember that during my youth, there was a semblance of normalcy as our minds were conditioned that censorship was necessary and that any negative news about the Marcos regime was false. It was during my high school days, particularly when Ninoy Aquino was assassinated in August 1983 that I realized the oppression that was happening.

If you were on the shoes of His Excellency Benigno Aquino III, what would you do to resolve the the issue of the burial of Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani?

If I were President, I would not allow his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Doing so would be ignoring the repression that happened during Martial Law.

What would be the greatest achievement Marcos accomplished during his tenure?

His greatest “achievement” was uniting a broad number of people against the dictatorship. At that time, the running joke was that Marcos was chiefly responsible for increasing the number of rebels as a result of the repression that was happening then.

In your experience, was the declaration of Martial Law necessary?

It was not necessary and Marcos only created an illusion that the republic was threatened by the alleged communist insurgency. It was during Martial Law that the conjugal dictatorship and Marcos cronies amassed wealth.

What was the state of the Philippine economy during his time?

There was, of course, an illusion of growth and the crony press focused on the “good news” then, particularly the so-called benefits of Martial Law. But it cannot be denied that there was widespread poverty then, particularly in the countryside. This explains why the insurgency became stronger outside the cities as the economic deprivation was felt more there.

It has been said that problems arose in the Marcos administration when Imelda Marcos intervened. How true is this statement? What can you say about it?

Her intervention was expected because what existed then was a “conjugal dictatorship.” Both of them were responsible for what happened. There is no basis exonerating Ferdinand Marcos and blaming the wife for the problems of the administration then.

Apart from the Martial Law, what other factors marred Marcos in the eyes of the Filipino people?

Martial Law was the main factor. Prior to its declaration in 1972, of course the ambition of Marcos to perpetuate himself in power was already apparent. He could be driven mainly by the economic benefits of being in power.

My thesis statement for my research paper: Ferdinand Marcos was a decorated war hero and an accomplished president so President Aquino should approve his burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery. The question is what do you think of my recommendation?

His being a war hero is beside the point. His being an “accomplished” President is subject to debate. In the final analysis, he does not deserve to be given state honors as a result of what he did. He is a dictator and the chief architect of the regime that resulted in loss of lives and livelihood of many Filipinos. How can he be “honored” for that?