February 24, 1986
People’s Forum / MALAYA

The difference between heroism and treason, we are told, is simply a matter of timing.

Nothing has driven home the point more stirringly than the events that took place over the weekend: we have Mr. Juan Ponce Enrile who directed, presided over, cooperated with, or, at the very least, condoned the crimes committed by the military and the Marcos government over the past 20 years, finally breaking with the Mr. Marcos.

Does his last-hour act of contrition gain him a full pardon for the 20 years he spent as a Marcos agent and tool?

Similar questions may be raised with regard to Lt. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, Supreme Court Justice Nestor B. Alampay, J. Roillo Golez, and whoever else joined them.

My thoughts are:

1. If our standard for honoring people is the length of time they have spent in opposing the Marcos government, we should honor Jose. Ma. Sison, Lean Alejandro, and Teopisto Guingona ahead of Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma, ahead of Doy Laurel, ahead of Leticia Ramos-Shehani . . . and all these people way ahead of Mr. Enrile et al. By this standard, we should honor even the irrelevant Dr. Estefania Aldaba-Lim ahead of Mr. Enrile et al.

2. If our standard for honoring people is the magnitude of their sacrifice, we would honor Ninoy Aquino, Elelio Javier, and Ed Jopson ahead of Jose Ma. Sison, Antonio Zumel, and Fr. Conrado Balweg, ahead of exiles like Nur Misuari and former Raul S. Manglapus, ahead of such "comfortable" people like Jose Concepcion, Jr. and Jaime Ongpin . . . and all these people ahead of Mr. Enrile et al.

But if our standard is the magnitude of their contribution to the downfall of the Marcos regime, the action of Mr. Enrile and General Ramos could well be more important than all events other than the martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino.

I don’t know what position to take. I appeal to MALAYA’s readers to help me make up my mind.

QUIRINO TORRES