Nemenzo Interview “Ka-Dodong”

Mga naranasan; Bago mag Martial Law, ano ang ginagawa niyo? Binoto niyo ba si Marcos?

-“Hindi ako bumoto kay Marcos kasi alam ko walang mangyayari diyan.”

- “Pero popular na si Marcos noon”

- “After he got elected, he sent one battalion to Vietnam”

Where were you during Martial Law?

- They were on the run but eventually captured and jailed for 2 years.

- In 1974, he got back to the University

- Dean of CAS (CSSP & CAL; half of the population in Diliman)

- My role was to keep peace and defend rights of students

- People were afraid to speak, only UP students were actively participating in the movement

- “You need freedom if you have something not mainstream to say.”

- His family lived in Australia for 3 years but after 1 year, the 2 boys (sons) wanted to go back to the
Philippines.

- VC UPD got shot

-People wanted to exercise freedom

- “You use it.” (Referring to freedom)

- camp crame guards became his friends

- People got scared because they exaggerated the jailguards in order to be “heroic”

- “Marami diyan mga peke.” (referring to martial law activists/heroes)

- “Martial Law is an emergency measure when the state is in crisis.”

Machiavelli

“If you want to understand Politics, you should see it as it is.”

“It’s good to have morality but do not think that politicians are driven by morality only.”

“Power is concentrated in the hands of people who use it intelligently.”

“Panay salita lang.” (Marcos)

“Machiavelli wouldn’t have approved of the way Marcos used his power.”
-Marcos removed all restraints to foreign investments

-“We have to correct the stupid strategy of Neoliberals.”

People who were forgotten

- they are not grandstand players

- “Those who joined for patriotic reasons, they do not care if they are not recognized.”

Tinapon ni Cory ang ace (referring to debts)

“We will honor our debts, but not now.” (because of the debts of Marcos)

What is your advice for UP students?

-Duterte is taking and independent stand. I am afraid that this is all “talk”

-we need independence from foreign powers

-all economic departments are headed by Neoliberals

- When the economy starts failing, people will start to look… and the President will take advantage of
the crisis.

1982- Marcos had no choice but to raise taxation to cover the debt.