ZURICH, SWITZERLAND — I am here in Zurich as news comes in of the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial.
Filipino and Swiss friends are aghast, fully aware as people here are, of the abuse, murder, and grand thievery that characterized the dictatorship.
Certainly, because billions of pesos of the Marcos family’s stolen wealth were stashed away and hidden in Swiss banks and foundations, and became a public issue here, the Swiss can only wonder, and perhaps sneer, at the quality of our highest legal institution.
Nine Justices cited mere technicalities, among them, that Marcos had been a soldier, and that President Duterte — whose moral standards are to say the least, questionable — had made the promise in his election campaign.
The nine Justices completely ignored the standards cited in RA 289 on which was based the creation of the Libingan ng mga Bayani, namely, to perpetuate the memory of national heroes and patriots for the inspiration and emulation of this generation and generations still unborn.
So what are Filipinos and young people to emulate? Greed, thievery, corrupted government institutions, the practice of torture and extrajudicial killings?
Well, maybe we’re getting there again, as basic concepts of right and wrong are being eroded.
I had just watched a documentary on Zimbabwe as the news from Manila came in… much recalled Marcos’ grim record — is that where we want to head again one day?
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