We often hear the term “historical revisionism” from groups under the National Democratic
Front (NDF) especially during commemoration of EDSA People Power Anniversary and the
declaration of martial law by former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. They use this term to
discredit people who would not agree to their narratives of human rights abuses and attacks
to democracy during these events. Then they offer their own version of the truth based on
the recounts of their cohorts whom they claim have witnessed such abuses and attacks.
They insist their narrative to the people as if their version if the gospel truth that everyone
can no longer question and therefore deserve to be printed in books and featured in
museums.
In the Cordillera, the NDF’s minions claim of championing the cause of heroes such as
Macli-ing Dulag of fighting for regional autonomy since the 80s. They celebrate this through
their bogus Cordillera Day every 24 th of April then monopolize the right of retelling the story
of Dulag’s struggle for Indigenous People’s rights. They gave impression that Dulag fought
alongside the rebels under the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s
Army (NPA). For years, the Cordilleran audiences were made to believe this story – that
Dulag was part of the CPP-NPA and that the latter took a crucial role in the plight for regional
autonomy.
This was only corrected when the late Mayor Gabino Gaggangan of Sadanga, Mountain
Province exposed on social media historical facts from the 1950s on how the IPs fought
against the exploitation of their ancestral land supported by actual dates and events. He
emphasized that the CPP-NPA had no participation whatsoever in the IP’s victories.
Descendants of Dulag and other Cordillera heroes whom the CPP-NPA minions in the
Region identify as their martyrs, vehemently denied that their ancestors were part of this
terrorist organization.
You can guess the defense of NDF in the Cordillera against the revelations of the mayor.
They accused him of “historical revisionism”, which they have been perennially committing to
deceive the people and fool them into joining their senseless cause to go against the
government.
They have done this across the country and throughout their over 5 years of manufacturing
all sorts of trouble in the country. I can only mention and emphasize a few and most famous
ones such as those recently exposed –- the Rano Massacre in Davao which was committed
by the NPA but was blamed on soldiers; the Plaza Miranda Bombing which was plotted by
CPP founder Jose Maria Sison but was blamed on the father of the new President; the
declaration of martial law to suppress freedom and rights of people when in fact, the real
reason for it was to address the then worsening insurgency problem caused by no less than
the CPP-NPA. The list goes on as the CPP-NPA-NDF continues to commit their so-called
“historical revisionism” every time their members open their mouth or post malicious
statements on social media to keep Filipinos angry, hence, would want to revolt.
Let us stop entertaining these deceptions of the CPP-NPA-NDF. Let us shun their invites to
visit structures nor attend launching of narratives that promote erroneous history only to
produce distrusting and overly cynical populace who would not give chance for the truth to
be told. The Filipinos do not deserve to be lied to and fooled any longer.

Cristina Catbagan

Chairperson, Nagkakaisang Samahan para sa Kalayaan at Kaunlaran (NSKK)