AN ARTICLE ABOUT FERDINAND MARCOS

I have just come across an article about the late Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos in an old issue of a national magazine. It's the usual attack, almost a refrain against the Ilokano dictator. Was he entirely evil? Is there a man who is entirely good? Or was Ferdinand both bad and evil? Was there goodness in him?

Where was his goodness? The only reality is the present but we should also look back to the past for inspiration and guidance.Instead of crucifying a dead man, why not learn from him? Let us discover why he failed as president of this country despite his enormous talents and the best technocrats at his beck and call. A man should take a cue or two from his enemy even as he must learn how to forgive and not to fall to the eye-for-an-eye mentality of Biblical barbarians. To forgive is to live, so they say.