Colleen E.

Consuelo BSEM-2
Code of Kalantiaw by Datu Kalantiaw
External Criticism
During the 1912 Jose Marco, the historian who donated ancient documents written in three
barks in the Philippine Library and Museum. All of these documents were lengthy and in baybayin
where he stated that was discovered by his father, yet he changed in by saying he bought it to an
old cook which he later he stated that he had found them wrapped in wax inside the horns of a
wooden six-legged bull-shaped idol in a cave near La Castellana, Negros Occidental. Then it was
discovered by Parker that there was only one bull in that area that it could not be possible to find
enormous manuscript. Among the documents was Marco’s magnum opus of forgeries, Las
Antiguas Leyendes de la Isla de Negros (The Ancient Legends of the Island of Negros). The book,
which alone was over 600 pages in two leather bound volumes, was dedicated to the king of Spain
in August 1839 – a period when Spain had no king. Leyendes was the book that gave us the myth
of Datu Kalantiaw and his list of bizarre and sadistic laws which he gave to the Philippine Library
to then director Dr. James Robertson. Because of the misleading details of where the manuscripts
were found including the famous code, it gains doubts to most of the historians specifically
historians Ester and Scott. The historian E.D. Hester wrote to Marco in 1954 and pressed him to
explain the contradictions in one of his latest alleged discoveries. Marco wrote back and deny all
the allegations by trying to buy Hester’s silence. Even his own life is a fraud he was known to be
born on 1886 while he was really born 1877. His degree was been a hoax where he said Bachiller
en Letras y Artes from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1898 then went to University of Santo
Thomas taking a bachelor degree in agriculture. Until his death he had forge enormous Philippine
facts and another great lie who devastated and confuse many Filipinos were the “La Loba Negra”
(The Black She-Wolf), in connection to the October 1719, Governor General Fernando Manuel de
Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda was assassinated at the Palacio del Gobernador.it tells the story of
the Governor General’s widow who transforms into a wolf by night to kill her husband’s
murderers.
Internal Criticism
At a first glance of the 18 articles of the code you would not doubt the authenticity of the
manuscript for it was already translated to old English except for its cruelty on minor offences.
Yet when you examine the article repeatedly, how can it be true when other historians claim that
all pre-colonial proofs have been vanished by either colonialization or catastrophes and this was
kept intact with 800 pages on it. And according to some studies and a website called “Jose Marco,
the Philippine history’s greatest con man” who studied the raw material, it stated that the
manuscript involves some Spanish words like Viernes and regulo that it supposes to be in
baybayin. Another is the map presented of Negros to where Kalintaw had reign mentioned
kilometer where the unit has yet to be discovered. Finally, the act of punishments given to the
offenders of the so called “Code of Kalantiaw” is a bit childish and senseless to a powerful Datu
of Visaya. Thus, there were instances that crimes during the era was mostly disregarded that led
to Marco’s frauds.
 Ferdinand Marcos (decorated as World War II soldier who led a guerilla unit called
Maharlika)

External Criticism
Ferdinand Marcos was known to be the most intelligent yet sly where he would claim
anything by hook or by crook. Reviewing the time when he was imprisoned due to a serious
violence, he has been controversial when he topped his bar even being imprisoned and defended
himself out of jail. After has been challenged into an oral bar exam to guaranty the authenticity of
his license. All these was the start of his ambition on Philippines politics. During his first reign as
the Philippine President then again has been very controversial on how he ruled the country by
force. He was known to bring the country on top of the most economically rich nation in Asia
where he managed the Philippine’s resources. Power and money have lured him to cruelty that he
wanted to rule the country ‘til his end, this is where opposing parties rose, fought for the freedom
of the country. Being the sly Marcos, he was, he did everything to trough backlash on the other
party that only during the re-election campaign that he brought the issue of the guerilla Maharlika
along with the statement released by the US military stating that any individual that fought along
US will be paid and rewarded. This has been the controversial “heroic leader” spread like fire
where he claimed 300-8500 men on the guerilla, he led against the Japanese soldiers who
conquered the country. Another thing is that he only used this issue to persuade the Filipino voters
re-elect him as President because the moment he was re-elected, he has been denying questions,
interviews and other historians reviewing his claims. Furthermore, newspapers supporting the
debunking of his claims has been shutdown by the military (in his commend). When this issue has
been cooled down, he went on by steeling the money of the Republic by hiding on the hospitals,
plants and schools that he built for the Filipinos.

Internal Criticism
Although the 29 paged of “Ang Mga Maharlika – It’s History in Brief” was not been found
on the internet and was kept by the US Army, certain individuals have read and reviewed it as
exaggerated and false. In the request sent by Marcos it already had inconsistency on his calims and
the dates and documents presented by the US military. Another is the official records of the US
army who fought for them and there were no “Maharlika” guerilla on it and those 300 who calims
to be the members of it are mere actrocities to the Filipino people. The three medals presented by
Marcos has been denied by he claimed to be the one who rewarded it, US Army, stating that his
military service is not heroic not honorable by those medals. The US officials also cited these
reasons for Marcos’ falsely claims; Maharlika had not actually been in the field fighting the
Japanese and had not ''contributed materially to the eventual defeat of the enemy, it had no ''definite
organization'' and ''adequate records were not maintained.'' And ''Many of its members apparently
lived at home, supporting their families by means of farming or other civilian pursuits and assisted
the guerrilla unit on a part-time basis only.''
References:
 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-23-mn-28079-story.html

 https://www.nytimes.com/1986/01/23/world/marcos -s-wartime-role-discredited-
in-us-files.html

 https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/143592 -ferdinand-marcos-world-war-ii-
medals-explained

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_career_of_Ferdinand_Marcos

 https://www.academia.edu/613258/_Jose_E._Marco_s_Kalantiaw_Code_Implicatio
ns_for_Philippine_Historiography_and_Filipinos_Historical_Consciousness_

 https://www.pilipino-express.com/history-a-culture/in-other-words/395-jose-
marco.html

 https://filipiknow.net/hoaxes-in-the-philippines/