Repuyan, Princess Juliana C. MED 232 Historical Distortion Historical distortion involves the manipulation of historical facts to serve a particular agenda. In the Philippines, the distortion can be observed when certain aspects of the Katipunan Revolution of 1896 are overly romanticized, simplifying the complexities of the movement. Similarly, the portrayal of the Martial Law era in a manner that downplays its oppressive nature, and the scale of human rights abuses can be seen as a form of historical distortion. Bongbong Marcos's response to Amnesty International's data reflects an attempt to distance himself from the allegations and cast doubt on the historical record. The response of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to Amnesty International's data reflects broader issues related to historical accountability, denial, and revisionism in the Philippines. While legal mechanisms exist to address human rights violations during the Marcos regime, there is a need for acknowledgment, remorse, and a commitment to justice. Historical Denial Shinzo Abe’s historical denialism manifested in various ways. One of the most contentious aspects of Abe’s historical denialism was his refusal to acknowledge the existence of the “comfort women” system, in which thousands of women from occupied countries were subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese army. Despite ample archival evidence from various sources, Abe’s government dismissed these claims, leading to diplomatic tensions with South Korea and other affected nations. The pressure on the Philippines to remove a comfort women statue in Manila underscores Japan’s unwillingness to confront its wartime history. Shinzo Abe’s historical revisionism and denial of Japan’s wartime atrocities have left a contentious legacy. While he aimed to revitalize Japan’s role on the global stage, his refusal to confront the dark chapters of Japan’s history has strained relations with neighboring nations and hindered reconciliation. Historical Revision The EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986, which led to the ousting of President Ferdinand Marcos, has been a subject of historical revision in the Philippines. While it is widely celebrated as a peaceful uprising that restored democracy, some revisionist accounts attempt to reframe the narrative. They depict it as less significant and more of a coup d’état than a genuine people’s movement for change. Historical revisionists argue that the role of key figures like Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and former President Fidel Ramos in the lead-up to the event is understated. They suggest that without their actions, the military would have dispersed the crowd, and the revolution might not have succeeded. Additionally, these revisionist accounts downplay the importance of President Corazon Aquino, who is often credited with the revolution’s success, claiming she was not even present during the three-day rally. The Marcos family has been instrumental in revising history, introducing an “alternative history” that contradicts the well-documented atrocities of the Martial Law era. This revisionism began during Marcos Sr.’s time and continues to be propagated today. References (1970). Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/01/26/2156503/asked-about-martiallaw-abuse-marcos-questions-amnesty-international-data/amp/ Inquirer, P. D. (2022, July 26). The other side of Shinzo Abe: historical revisionism, denial of war crimes | Inquirer Opinion. INQUIRER.net. https://opinion.inquirer.net/155428/the-other-side-of-shinzo- abehistorical-revisionism-denial-of-war-crimes After EDSA: historical revisionism and other factors that led to the Marcoses’ return. (2023, September 21). Philippine Social Science Council. https://www.pssc.org.ph/after-edsa/
