Don’t forget sins of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Zarate urges House colleagues
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate delivers a privilege speech at the House of Representatives on Monday, Sept. 21, 2017. (Photo from the Facebook account of Bayan Muna)
A militant lawmaker on Monday urged his colleagues to be afraid of history’s judgment as he cautioned them against forgetting the sins of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate issued the warning in a privilege speech he delivered in the House on the day the Marcos family threw a party to celebrate the late president’s centennial birth anniversary at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, where he was allowed to be buried by President Rodrigo Duterte.
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Zarate quoted Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio, who told his fellow revolutionaries against the Spanish regime: “Matakot kayo sa kasaysayan, sapagkat ito ay hindi mapagkakailanan ng inyong mga kagagawan.”
Zarate echoed the same challenge to his colleagues, as he lamented the administration’s closer ties with the Marcoses amid talks for the family to return the alleged ill-gotten wealth and gold bars in exchange for immunity.
READ: ‘Crazy idea’: Minority solons reject prospect of immunity for Marcos wealth
“Mga kapwa ko mambabatas: Huwag sana nating gawing tanga ang ating mga sarili. Kapag mayroong isasauli, siguradong mayroong ninakaw,” Zarate said. “At malinaw sa atin, mula noong tayo’y mga musmos pa lamang, na mayroong karampatang kaparusahan ang pagnanakaw, lalo na kung ito’y isinagawa ng pinakamataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan.”
Article continues after this advertisement“Ganoon na ba tayo ka-desperado na mabawi ang nakaw na yaman ng mga Marcos at katanggap-tanggap na sa atin na hindi lamang sila’y maabswelto sa kanilang mga kasalanan, bagkus ay paparangalan pa natin sila at tatanghaling bayani habang niyuyurakan ang alaala ng lahat ng pinahirapan at pinatay ng kanilang rehimen, pati na ng mga lumaban upang panumbalikin ang ating demokrasyang tinatamasa ngayon?” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementZarate also slammed unveiling of plaque by the National Historical Commission in Batac, Ilocos Norte for the dictator, accusing the commission of leading the way to revise the history of the dictatorship.
READ: Duterte: Marcos is a hero to Ilocanos; why debate on that?
“Ang mas malala pa, mismong ang Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas ang nanguna sa isinagawang pagpaparangal sa Diktador,” Zarate said. “Isang taon lamang mula noong direkta nilang kondenahin ang pagpapalibing kay Marcos sa kadahilanang peke ang kanyang mga medalyang tinanggap matapos ang Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, heto sila ngayon at naglagay ng isang palatandaang pangkasaysayan – isang parangal na iginagawad lamang sa mga bayani – sa kanyang bantayog sa bayan ng Batac.”
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“Nakapanlulumong isipin, Ginoong Speaker, na ang mismong sangay ng pamahalaan na inatasang pangalagaan, itaguyod at ipangtanggol ang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas ang mismong bumabalintuna dito,” he added.
Amid attempts to rehabilitate the image of the Marcoses, Zarate dared his colleagues to heed Bonifacio’s word, and be afraid of history’s judgment.
“Bilang pangwakas, hayaan ninyong ulitin ko sa inyo ang mga kataga ng Supremo na binanggit ko sa simula ng aking talumpati: Matakot tayo sa kasaysayan. Nasaksihan natin kung papaanong hinatulan ng kasaysayan ang alaala ng dating Pangulong Marcos – kasaysayan na siyang pilit na binabalintuna ngayon ng kasalukuyang rehimen,” Zarate said.
READ: Martial law survivors to gatecrash 100th birthday anniversary of Marcos
“Darating ang panahon, tayo mismo ay huhusgahan ng kasaysayan ayon sa ating mga ginawa,” he added.
To mark the dictator’s centennial birthday, Duterte signed Presidential Proclamation 310 to declare Sept. 11 as a special non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte, Marcos’s home province.
