CEBU, Philippines - By placing the Marcoses in the government positions, people are forgetting the horrors of martial law, according to lawyer Democreto Barcenas, a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter.
Barcenas said this during a press conference held at the IBP Office in relation to the forum - “40th Anniversary of Martial Law, Never Again.”
Barcenas said people should not forget what happened during the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos from 1965 to 1986.
“A writer said, people who forget the past are condemned to repeat it,” he cited.
The Marcoses who are in the government are Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of late president and Congresswoman Imelda Marcos, the wife of late president.
Even after 40 years, Barcenas said he still feels the “great danger” that Martial Law has brought.
He said that these days still have a “shadow of martial law” although we are enjoying better days.
Lawyer Kit Enriquez, for his part, sees a need to include the horrors of martial law in the curriculum.
“Let us not erase in our mind the martial law. Instead, let us include this in our curriculum. Martial law should be remembered by everybody because we cannot go with our future if we forget our past,” he said.
Barcenas said there was already a house resolution requesting the Department of Education to include martial law in the curriculum. —JPM (FREEMAN)