Bam Aquino seeks probe on martial law lessons in schools

Senator Bam Aquino. FILE PHOTO

A resolution that calls for an inquiry to determine how the martial rule of former President Ferdinand Marcos is being taught in basic and tertiary schools has been filed at the Senate on Saturday.

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV filed Senate Resolution No. 29 to ensure that only the truth about martial law would be taught in schools.

“Sa dami ng maling impormasyon na kumakalat sa internet, kailangan nating malaman kung paano tinuturo ng martial law sa ating kabataan at siguraduhin na ang katotohanan ang nananaig sa ating mga paaralan,” Aquino said in a statement.

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(Because of the spread of false information in the internet, we need to know how martial law is taught to our youth and make sure that only the truth is being propagated in schools.)

Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Education, said the younger generations should know the horrors of martial law, which he considers as the darkest years in 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,” he said.

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(I noticed that there have been distortions in our history. Some quarters are claiming that the martial law is the golden years of the Philippines, which is so far from the truth.)

“Nakakalungkot ang pangyayaring ito dahil tila kinalimutan na ang mga nagsakripisyo ng buhay noong panahon ng diktarudya,” the senator added.

(It’s sad because it seems like we have forgotten the sacrifices of those who died during the time of dictatorship.)

Historical records revealed that 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.

According to the Presidential Commission on Good Government, an estimated $10 billion in government money was stolen.

Senator Aquino is the nephew of late democracy icons, former President Corazon Aquino and Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who fought the Marcos regime. Kathryn Jedi V. Baylon, INQUIRER.net trainee/IDL