Book of Bloodied Truths: Bewitched Devotees of a Dictator’s Legacy
by Denise Mikaela Diaz & Regina Shane Lopez
Every thread is meticulously controlled.
Countless souls perished along with tales swallowed by the silence they buried beneath the crashing weight of cruelty. Bloodstains on the streets, the lost lives of those whose stories remain untold; for the remnants of a brutal past continue to echo through the corridors like ghostly whispers — haunting, lingering, yet tragically ignored.
In the tyrannical period of Philippine history, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was remembered as a fascist leader and dictator whose reign was filled with repression and violence.
He, who served as the tenth president of the Philippines spanning from 1965 to 1986, became known as a man who enriched himself and his cronies at the expense of the nation.
His legacy stands as one of the most complex and controversial volumes in the country’s history. It reads like a gripping novel — filled with fierce conflicts, devastating plot twists, a wide array of characters, and ultimately a just ending.
Yet what is just in the eyes of some when another Marcos has seized all the control and power?
The Chosen One
The story unfolds with the rise of an ambitious young man, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who entered politics with a compelling biography and a vision for national progress. Armed with an impressive educational background, it seems that the commander-in-chief of the armed forces ticks all the boxes for the ideal politician.
The nation has yet to fully recover from the time of martial law, yet more than four decades later, the dictator’s next of kin stirs the country’s political climate, dividing the nation with his decision to run for presidency.
Bearing the same name as his dictator father, it is as if Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is opening a book that is supposedly finished and done.
The Marcoses preserved their political prominence and with Marcos Jr. ‘s presidential ambitions, it begs the question: Could he possibly be attempting to continue his father’s unpleasant story?
Anthony Martinez, 25, one of the individuals who supported Marcos Jr.’s candidacy, shared his reason for choosing him during the last presidential election in 2022.
“Dahil kay Sara,” he expressed as he extended his support for then-vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte due to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Martinez noted that Duterte’s presidency strengthened the country, brought peacefulness with less trouble and reduced crime rates during his term.
“Marami siyang batas na nagawa,” he added, reminiscing Marcos Jr.’s senatorial term in 2010.
At the same time, a 19-year-old student Trisha Ann Yumang said that her basis for choosing the current President was because her parents told her so.
“Iboto ko daw siya [Marcos] because hindi naman puro ganoon ang mangyayari sa ating bansa kundi kabutihan din,” she expressed.
For Yumang, one of Marcos Jr.’s accomplishments is the number of drug users that seems to be decreasing, “Parang gumaganda naman ang ating bansa,” she uttered.
Two Tales of One Period
Is it truly a privilege to have lived during the era of the late Ferdinand Marcos Sr.?
For some, it may have been seen as a time of order and progress, while for those who were wronged and witnessed the dreadful history, it was a period marked by oppression, fear, and suffering under a regime that silenced dissent and crushed freedoms of many Filipinos.
The plot takes a drastic and dark turn with the declaration of Martial Law in 1972 — a chapter marks a significant shift in Philippine history.
What once appeared to be a story of ambition and progressiveness now unfolds into a tale of dictatorship and cruelty. With every turn of a page details a life where liberty is suppressed, people are wrongfully punished, and the narrative turns into one of fear and control.
Amnesty International reports that between 1972 and 1981, around 70,000 individuals were imprisoned, 34,000 subjected to torture and more than 3,200 were killed.
The brutal fate they have experienced served as a grim warning from a repressive regime to anyone who would dare to voice dissent: This could be your destiny.
In a recent interview of Pacesetter with Katrina*, 67, a mother from Magalang, Pampanga who witnessed the brutality of the Marcos regime, exposed how the Martial Law stole the rights of the people to speak in conduct with those in power.
“Marami [ang] nabago tungkol sa mga mag aaralag, kagaya ng CAT AT NCEE. Ang CAT noon ay ang Cadette Auxiliary Training para sa 4th year high school. Ang NCEE naman ay ang National College [Entrance] Examination. ‘Pag ‘di ka nakapasa sa exam na ito, ‘di ka makakapag-college,” she shared, recalling the education system during the fascist’s time.
Similar to the 62-year-old Aning*, who has also lived experiences during the era, said “Parang natatandaan ko lang bawal kang magsalita nang hindi tama, at huwag na huwag mong…halimbawa may kumatok sa bahay mo, huwag na huwag kang magbubukas nang basta-basta. Tatanungin mo muna kung sino ba ‘yan,” she expressed as she lowers her voice.
While those fortunate enough not to suffer from starvation claim that the Philippines once experienced a ‘golden era’, Katrina expressed strong disapproval.
She remarked, “Ang bigas noon, pipila ka pa bago ka makabili.”
Aning shared a similar experience, saying, “Halimbawa, bibili kang bigas, pipila ka, hindi ka puwedeng bumili nang ganoong karami. May mais, nakahalo ang darak at mais na durog sa bigas.”
In a moment of hesitation, Aning’s voice softened as she began to recount the memories she carried from the time when the nation was gripped by military rule.
Though 10 years old at the time, the weight of those days left an indelible trace on her, and the passage of time has not dulled her ability to look back at the struggles and sacrifices of Filipinos who fought for freedom.
“Kaya nu’ng sinasabing ‘Ibagsak ang kandidatura ni Marcos’, ‘Ibagsak ang mga tuta ni Marcos’, maiiyak ka nu’ng araw… Ang hirap [ng sitwasyon], maraming namamatay,” she said.
“Kahit hindi sa atin nangyayari, [para] sa kanila [ay] masakit… kaya nu’ng araw, may mga NPA (New People’s Army) CAFGU (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit), at may mga kung anu-anong grupo,” Aning bravely shared as she wipes her tears away.
Despite the overwhelming evidence found in historical documents, books chronicling the realities of Martial Law, articles highlighting the courage of survivors, and the countless testimonies of those who lived through it, Yumang and Martinez who both vouched for Marcos Jr., continue to reject the truth of what transpired under Marcos Sr.’s regime.
“Nakikita ko kasi sa mga videos, Tiktok, mga gano’n na maganda talaga ‘yung country natin dati,” said Martinez.
According to him, he believes that there were no bills coming from electricity and water providers as what he witnesses on the said social media platform.
“Wala pa naman ako noon e,” he added.
Meanwhile, Yumang firmly stands by her beliefs that no event ever took place where the information was properly shared, nor were the details of what truly happened were fully disclosed.
“Wala namang mga pangyayari na ibinahagi talaga at ibinigay ang mga impormasyon,” she spoke.
Illusions of the Great Golden Era
The early chapters seemed bright, as Marcos Sr. managed to paint a golden picture with promises of economic development and modernization.
In the eyes of many, he is a capable leader poised to propel the nation toward prosperity. An image that persists in the minds of countless Filipinos who desperately cling to the hope of relishing in the golden era — the age where the Philippines will finally thrive and flourish.
Yet, beneath this ostensibly beaming facade of lies of a sinister tale — linking with many prominent novels of all time, would eventually reveal itself in more troubling ways.
Emiel Nathan Guran, a member of Kabataan Partylist in Pasig City shared how Marcos was introduced to him at a young age.
“Nung bata ako, ‘yung parents ko [ay] maka-Marcos. ‘Yung mga textbooks na inaaral ko noon, in favor kay Marcos.”
Back then, Guran narrated that Marcos Sr. was endorsed as a leader with great development projects for the country, building bridges and improving roads, ultimately attempting to improve the quality of living of filipinos.
On the other hand, Joseph*, a political science student, voiced out his concern to the consequences of miseducation and ignorance of Filipinos, particularly how people seem to disregard historical facts and fail to hold the Marcos’ family accountable.
“It is the misinformation about the Martial Law era, plain faith on false promises of a caricatured patron-client relationship, and the lack of keen sight to distinguish demagoguery [that are being disregarded],” Joseph said in low spirits.
Going back to Aning, who deeply remembers the blood-tainted chapter of history, presumed that as time has changed, so have people’s perspectives, which is why the Marcos family has regained control and power once again.
“Para sa’kin, sa mga ginagawa nilang propaganda, sa mga pinapangako nila, ‘yon ang nagpapaengganyo sa kanila [sa mga tao],” she said.
Showering its people with flowery promises with the use of their twisted tongues, but in reality, only crumbs are being given — yet these fraudulent pledges continue to garner support using their deceitfulness.
With funds still lacking and millions of cuts from the budget for education and indispensable services meant to meet the people’s needs, the measures being passed are still fundamentally anti-people.
As the Filipinos grapple with the misery and intense impoverishment, the mere response from a dictator’s shadow is to plunder the money of this nation.
Althea Trinidad, a former Student Government (SG) senator and a student activist, expressed her distress in the current administration.
“Hinubog ng ganitong sistema ang kaisipan at kamalayan ng mamamayan na hindi mag-asam ng pagbabago,” she expressed.
“Tingin ko dumarami na rin ang namumulat sa reyalidad ng ganitong sistema dahil lantad na lantad na ang panlolokong ginagawa ng naghaharing-uri sa kanila,” she added.
Despite the controversies surrounding the Marcos family, both siblings secured their respective positions — Imee winning a seat in the senate and Marcos Jr. claiming the presidency.
This machinery has become nearly impossible to dismantle, as many still cling to the “hope” that was promised to them generations ago.
Deceived by Deception
Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos gathered at EDSA highway with a single cause. A movement that the world has never seen before — a four-day long protest, a cry, to rid of the shackles that the dictator president has cast upon the nation.
After years of oppression and violence, one would expect that the people would come after the dictator’s head and seek vengeance.
“Ibinoboto [at] sinusuportahan pa rin nila si Bongbong Marcos because iba-iba kasi tayo ng paniniwala at pananaw sa mga taong ating sinusuportahan,” Yumang, who voted for Marcos Jr., explained.
While Martinez confessed that his friends and family were merely in favor of Marcos Jr.’s candidacy back then due to their willingness to support the current vice president.
At last, his own statement was contrary when asked about the current state of the Philippines under the son of a dictator.
“Ngayon? Na f-feel ko, nagiging tuta na lang si Marcos ni [Martin] Romualdez saka n’ung asawa niya,” Martinez said. “Nagmahal pa mga bilihin,” he emphasized.
Securing more than 30 million votes from garnered individuals who were deceived by empty promises, the decades of struggling to honor the sacrifices and suffering of those who came before us; the Marcos dynasty has once again reclaimed the throne they were once ousted.
Yet, the true power will remain rooted in the hands of the people, by the people, and shall end for the people.
With the Marcoses remaining as one of the most powerful political clans, the novel continues to write itself. The epilogue is nowhere near, for the stain of yesteryears remains vibrant in today’s political and social landscape.
A multifaceted volume written with blood, sweat, and tears. May the stories of our fallen countrymen serve as a cautionary tale, to not let history repeat itself.
May the lessons learned from this complex narrative remain — a reminder of the dangers of extreme power, the importance of integrity, and the enduring quest for justice.
*Not their real name.
Denise Diaz is a freshman staff writer of Pacesetter for A.Y. 2024–2025. She is a first-year accountancy student from the College of Business Education and Accountancy.
Regina Shane Lopez is a senior staff writer of Pacesetter for A.Y. 2024–2025. She is a second-year legal management student from the College of Criminal Justice Education.
