“There are four events in history which I believe must be clarified and even rectified for the sake of future generations because of so many distortions made, either for political purposes or personal agenda”
I have been asked if mass media — print and broadcast (radio and television) — will be a lapdog or a watchdog under the second Marcos administration. Obviously, some people are still under the impression that the young President Marcos may turn out to be like his father who declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972 and suppressed mass media.
For one thing, this question has no basis since there is no use for BBM to declare Martial Law. Under the 1987 Constitution, a President can declare Martial Law in case of invasion, rebellion and when public safety requires it.
In the second place, Martial Law under the 1987 Constitution is a toothless tiger unlike the 1972 Martial Law, which was based on the 1935 Constitution. For those ignorant people who believe that Martial Law will be a repeat of the 1972 Martial Law, I recommend reading Article VII, Section 18, which provides when a President can declare Martial Law and realize the difference of Martial Law under the 1935 Constitution and under the 1987 Constitution.
As I said, it would be foolish for a President to declare Martial Law under the 1987 charter because the Cory government, in reaction to the 1972 Martial Law, made Martial Law declared by a President a toothless tiger.
But, to answer the question whether the Philippine press will be a lapdog or a watchdog under BBM, I say it all depends.
First of all, there is no basis just yet because it is still too early to answer that question. It all depends on how the young Marcos will react to criticisms and negative reactions to his regime in the days to come.
But, to answer that question, as a general rule, why would the press react to anything if the administration is doing right and if President Marcos will do as he promised to do for national interest and the common good. But, if there are things that give the impression that BBM is not doing what he promised to do, I am sure the press as a watchdog will react immediately.
I supported BBM when he ran for President because, among the candidates, to me, he will be the President we need at this point in our history. I believed in him and what he stood for.
As such, as a journalist, if BBM will remain true to his campaign promises, there should be no reason why I would criticize him. But, if BBM fails to remain true to his promises that together we will have a better country and he will do otherwise, I will not hesitate to criticize him.
As far as I am concerned, it’s my duty as a journalist to tell the truth and I believe that President Marcos will remain true to his promise and together we can fulfill our dreams. While from the start I had said that once BBM and Inday Sara became a tandem, “tapos na ang boksing” (the game is over), it did happen, Santa Banana!
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There are four events in history which I believe must be clarified and even rectified for the sake of future generations because of so many distortions made, either for political purposes or personal agenda.
These events are the proclamation of Martial Law, the inclusion in the 1987 Constitution of the multi-party system, the breakaway of the RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement) by then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, then chief of the Philippine Constabulary President Fidel V. Ramos who eventually became president and Colonel Gringo Honasan who eventually became senator, and finally the so-called People Power Revolution.
In September 1972, strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos was fighting on two fronts — the communist movement that had infiltrated civil society, the academe, media, Congress, even the Catholic Church, and the secessionist movement in Mindanao, then led by Nur Misuari, chief of the MNLF ( Moro National Liberation Front).
What really prompted Marcos to issue Proclamation 1081 was when, after a SONA (State of the Nation Address), Marcos was leaving the Legislative Building, rallyists composed of left-leaning activists threw a mock replica of a coffin denoting the death of democracy, coupled with alarming reports of the multiple landings in different parts of the country of heavy-powered firearms from Communist China intended for the communist movement.
This compelled him to declare Martial Law under the 1935 Constitution. And this was justified in a Supreme Court unanimous decision.
Another controversial aspect to history was the adoption of the multi-party system patterned after the multi-party system of Germany under its parliamentary system.
The Parliamentarians in the Cory Aquino-led 1987 Constitution lost by one vote to the advocates of the Unitary System which we have.
The result was then an anomaly where we have a multi-party system under a unitary form of government.
Inside reports had it that it was then President Cory Aquino who pushed for a multi-party system to accommodate the friend of her husband, the late Senator Ninoy Aquino. This must be rectified, for how can you have a multi-party system under a unitary form of government?
The third aspect of Philippine history which has not been fully revealed was the so-called “ breakaway” of a portion of the AFP led by then DND Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, then PC chief, then General Fidel V. Ramos and then Col. Gringo Honasan.
The real reason, and this is from Enrile himself, is that he and Honasan learned that then Chief of the AFP, General Fabian Ver, was already forming a military junta , in the event of the demise of Marcos.
Marcos was reported to be very ill because of lupus, and Ver was aware of it. The junta would have the First Lady Imelda Marcos as a nominal head, with Ver actually in power.
JPE, Honasan and a select group of military officials who shared Enrile’s sentiments were actually preparing to fight the Ver-AFP group led by his two sons, which then led the armored division and the PSG.
This must be rectified to avoid further distortion that the “breakaway” of JPE, Ramos and Honasan was not actually a real “breakaway” from Marcos.
The fourth event in history that must be rectified is the so-called “People Power Revolution,” which was neither a “People Power” because it was just a meeting of over half a million members of civil society gathered at EDSA when the Americans flew President Marcos first to Clark and then to Honolulu.
My impression was that the Americans reacted to protect Marcos from being harmed .
These events must be clarified, and even rectified if necessary, for the sake of truth, so that future generations will really know what happened.
