Donald Trump and Ferdinand Marcos. Photos: Mandel Ngan/AFP/ Getty Images/Biography com ver since American Naval forces led by Admiral George Dewey sailed into Manila Bay in 1898, many Americans saw it their duty to educate the Filipinos. With the arrival of instructors like the Tomasites, a long-standing pattern was set—Americans would teach, and Filipinos would learn. Now, over a hundred years later, it is time to flip that model around and repay the favor. Today, America is in turmoil. For the first time in over two centuries, the U.S. Capitol was once again under siege. On January 6, an angry mob of rioters stormed the historic building to halt a process that would have affirmed the Biden-Harris victory in the November elections. Although the demonstrators ultimately proved unsuccessful, at least five people, including Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer, lost their lives. However, a few Republican senators and congressmen are now suggesting that, in the interest of national unity, the country put the incident behind them and move on. Never mind that the outgoing U.S. President, Donald Trump, appears to have been instrumental in inciting the demonstrators to violence. And while that argument may appeal to the better angels in most of us, many Filipinos will attest to the fact that it is the wrong thing to do. In 1986, after the EDSA Revolution sent President Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies packing, most Filipinos did exactly what some Republicans are now suggesting. They put the Martial Law years and the Marcos dictatorship behind them and moved on. Unfortunately, doing that simply emboldened the Marcoses and their supporters. Not only did they escape prosecution, they were given the chance to spin false narratives that absolved them of any blame. Today, the late strongman's remains now lie in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the country's heroes cemetery. The Marcos clan is again a significant force in Philippine politics, as are the clans of the many cronies who unfairly benefited during the decades-long dictatorship. A similar scenario could likely occur if Trump is not held accountable. Given his penchant for lying, Trump, like Marcos, will simply twist the facts to make himself the hero not the villain. And his die-hard followers will willingly believe whatever he tells them. Actions have consequences. When a leader's misdeeds are allowed to go unpunished for the sake of unity and harmony, the opposite actually occurs. There is no unity or harmony, only a festering cynicism. Just ask Pinoys, they'll tell you. Published 1/17/2021