Ferdinand Marcos and Stolen Valor

Ferdinand Marcos in 1982

Ferdinand Marcos, the previous president of the Philippines, is back in the news for claims of Stolen Valor.

Ferdinand Marcos’ military claims have long been in dispute.  The biggest controversy arising from Marcos’ service during World War II, was that of his claims during the 1962 Senatorial Campaign of being “most decorated war hero of the Philippines.” He claimed to have been the recipient of 33 war medals and decorations, including the U.S. medals of the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor.  Researchers later found that stories about the wartime exploits of Marcos were mostly propaganda, being inaccurate or untrue.

Now Buddy Gomez of ABS*CBN writes that Marcos’ claims were the most egregious in Philippine history.

Exemplar of Stolen Valor: 3rd Lt. F.E. Marcos

“Stolen valor” is a term that applies to a phenomenon of fraudulence in the military, involving false claims of service, rank, awards and decorations.

I have yet to come across an instance more egregious than what Philippine history can attest to. Neither can anybody else. Let me proceed then with renewed perspectives, as I continue to dare Imelda Marcos and her revisionist hallucinations to dispute history’s unflappable, irrefutable veracities.

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The book continues: “….as though determined to win the war alone, Marcos was recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor,” but ….“Had the papers not been lost in the last days of Bataan, Marcos would have been the only Filipino army officer to win the United States’ highest valor award in the Bataan campaign.”

When the Washington Post exposed Marcos’ fake medals (“The Marcos Mystery: Did the Philippine Leader Really Win US Medals for Valor?” December 18, 1983), Marcos very angrily rebutted with threats of criminal and civil action, issuing a book: “Documents on the Marcos War Medals,” with dozens of Annexes. Annex “D” was a document dated ‘3 April 1942’ purportedly accomplished “In the Field” and marked as signed by “/s/t/ MATEO CAPINPIN Commanding General (PA).” Lo and behold! These were “the papers….lost in the last days of Bataan,” earlier cited. “Recommendation for Award of the Congressional Medal of Honor!” supposedly reconstructed, attested and sworn to on “14th day of June 1946 in Camp Murphy in Quezon City.”

Because of war wounds claimed to have been sustained in Bataan, Marcos was awarded the “Purple Heart,” according to him! The “Purple Heart” is a solemn heroism decoration awarded to soldiers who have been wounded or killed. There exists a database, a Roll of Honor for Purple Heart recipients. Apart from what I already knew about Marcos’ claim to war wounds, I inquired from the Military Personnel Records Office in St. Louis, Missouri some years back. I received an official confirmation that there is no “Ferdinand E. Marcos” listed in the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

I have to say that the last statement seems a bit odd.  The Records Office in St. Louis would be able to say if he has a Purple Heart or not, but I don’t believe they keep records of who is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Category: Politics, Purple Heart