After 9/11, the USA Patriot Act not only reaffirmed such sanctions but expanded and widened the scope of the powers of the State apparatuses to suppress any criticism or dissent, even offering incentives to immigrants to spy on their compatriots. On August 5, 2004, Representative Crispin Beltran introduced a resolution to the Philippine Congress denouncing the U.S. government’s threat to expel 300,000 Filipinos in the following months. Beltran noted that during the first wave of the Iraq war, Filipinos were already targeted for deportation; and that “since 9/11, the U.S. government has indiscriminately criminalized and demonized all immigrants,” particularly those racially profiled as “terrorists” or associated with countries harboring terrorists, such as Pakistan, Syria, Iran, North Korea, and of course the Philippines (Mahajan). We have already been designated as the second front (after Afghanistan) in this endless war against Al Qaeda and the enemies of the U.S. “way of life.”
Mula noon, marami nang sumalungat (tulad nina Renato Constantino, Milagros Guerrero, atbp.) sa mapagkunwaring pagpupugay nina Agoncillo at Joaquin sa binansagang "Dakilang Plebeyo." Katugma nila ang walang patawad na hatol ni Apolinario Mabini sa La Revolucion Filipina: "Ang pangkahalatang opinion sa ginawa ni Aguinaldo ay wala siyang katwiran o paumanhin....Palibhasa'y paglabag ang ginawa ni Aguinaldo sa panuto ng Katipunan na kinasapian niya,...ang motibo sa asasinasyon ay walang iba kundi mga hinanakit at mga kapasiyahang sumira sa dangal ng Heneral; sa anu't anuman, ang krimeng naganap ay siyang unang tagumpay ng ambisyong personal laban sa wagas na patriyotismo" (The Philippine Revolution, 1969, p. 48).