Official Gazette slammed over historical revisionism

Dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law to suppress communist insurgency and secessionism in Mindanao and stepped down in 1986 to avoid bloodshed during an uprising later known as people power, the Official Gazette claimed in a post that it later took down after drawing flak from the public.

The Official Gazette, the official journal of the Philippine government, was under fire on Sunday afternoon following a Facebook post commemorating the 99th birth anniversary of Marcos. “Marcos was the first post-independence president to be re-elected in 1969. In 1972, he declared martial law to suppress a communist insurgency and secessionism in Mindanao,” the original post read. “In 1986, Marcos stepped down from the presidency to avoid bloodshed during the uprising that came to be known as ‘people power,’” it added. The post also included a photo of Marcos, with a quote from his inaugural in 1965 saying: “There are many things we do not want about our world. Let us not just mourn them. Let us change them.” The initial post immediately drew criticism from netizens, who accused the administrators of the page of historical revisionism, particularly on aspects about the declaration of martial law and his deposition from office following the people power revolution. The reaction appeared to have prompted a revision, which removed the phrase “to avoid bloodshed” in the caption. Dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law to suppress communist insurgency and secessionism in Mindanao and stepped down in 1986 to avoid bloodshed during an uprising later known as people power, the Official Gazette claimed in a post that it later took down after drawing flak from the public. The Official Gazette, the official journal of the Philippine government, was under fire on Sunday afternoon following a Facebook post commemorating the 99th birth anniversary of Marcos. “Marcos was the first post-independence president to be re-elected in 1969. In 1972, he declared martial law to suppress a communist insurgency and secessionism in Mindanao,” the original post read. “In 1986, Marcos stepped down from the presidency to avoid bloodshed during the uprising that came to be known as ‘people power,’” it added. The post also included a photo of Marcos, with a quote from his inaugural in 1965 saying: “There are many things we do not want about our world. Let us not just mourn them. Let us change them.” The initial post immediately drew criticism from netizens, who accused the administrators of the page of historical revisionism, particularly on aspects about the declaration of martial law and his deposition from office following the people power revolution. The reaction appeared to have prompted a revision, which removed the phrase “to avoid bloodshed” in the caption. It was later taken down and replaced with a shorter version containing details on the political career of the late dictator. “Ferdinand Marcos started his political career in 1949 as a representative of the second district of Ilocos Norte. Ten years thereafter, Marcos was able to secure a seat as a member of the Philippine Senate in 1959 and was elected Senate president in 1963. Ferdinand Marcos became the 10th president of Philippines in 1965. He was the longest-serving president of the country for almost 21 years,” the new post read. The updated post did not quell critics, who noted the decision of the administrators of the page to remove any mention of martial law and people power. “He was the longest-serving president of the country for almost 21 years… Because he became a dictator!” one comment read. The Official Gazette again edited the post, which now includes the following phrase: “He was the longest-serving president of the country for almost 21 years, declaring martial law in 1972, then went in exile to the United States in 1986 at the height of the people power revolution. He was succeeded by Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.”