Exclusive by Raïssa Robles
Today at lunch, I had Bongbong Marcos, that is, I listened to him as the guest speaker of the Rotary Club of Manila.
I went to Manila Polo Club where the Rotary Club of Manila now meets, precisely to ask Senator Marcos some questions. I prefaced my questions to him by reminding him that he had long been saying – “let history the judge” of his father’s rule.
I told him that a month ago (on April 4) I personally hand-delivered a copy of my book, Marcos Martial Law: Never Again to him at his Senate office.
I added that it was a short history of torture and atrocities under the New Society of his father. And I asked him for his reaction to my book.
Marcos, Jr. acknowledged getting my book. But he said he hadn’t had the time to read it because he had been “too busy”.
Senators on the campaign trail are always “busy”. He could have assigned someone in his staff to read it for him but he didn’t.
My guess is, he has no intention of reading my book, which capsulizes hundreds of torture and abuse cases during his father’s dictatorship.
His vice-presidential rival, Congresswoman Leni Robredo, earlier told me that she had been reading my book as soon as she had gotten a copy. (I gave a copy to all the vice-presidential candidates. I was late in giving one to Robredo since her office was all the way in Katipunan Avenue.) She had time to read it despite a hectic campaign schedule that now sees her running neck-to- neck with Bongbong Marcos.
♦ ♦ ♦
Marcos, Jr. claimed he was misquoted by Agence France Presse (AFP) which had quoted him as saying there were “widespread human rights abuses” during his dad’s dictatorship. He said this after I had reminded him that a year ago, he told me during a FOCAP (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines) forum that there were only “isolated incidents” of abuses.
He claimed he never told AFP that abuses were widespread during Martial Law. What he said was that abuses were widespread in “any” administration.
“Any” administration includes that of his father. Which means AFP was correct in saying that Marcos, Jr. had just admitted for the first time that abuses were “widespread” during Martial Law.
This is a marked departure from what he told me a year ago that incidents of abuses were “isolated”.
♦ ♦ ♦
I told Marcos Jr. that three extra-judicial killings were recorded in Ilocos Norte while he was the Ilocos Norte governor there and as the Governor and head of the Peace and order Council, he would know of those killings. Marcos. Jr. did not contest what I said.
♦ ♦ ♦
After I had sat down, Tony Lopez (my former colleague in Asiaweek magazine) stood up and said that the introduction of Bongbong had failed to mention one thing: “Of all Philippine Presidents, Marcos has been the best…The best in politics and governance remains to be M-A-R-C-O-S. ”
The audience of Rotarians enthusiastically applauded.
Present were Bongbong’s uncle, Babe Romualdez, retired Colonel Aniano Desierto who became the Ombudsman during Fidel Ramos’ administration but who was a member of JAGO (Judge Advocate Generals Office) that operated the military commissions during Martial Law. Seated at my table was Estelito Mendoza, the Solicitor General during the Marcos dictatorship.
♦ ♦ ♦
Another man stood up and asked Marcos, Jr. what he thought of the human rights record of the Aquino administration. Marcos Jr. replied, “I leave those assessments to the academics who will study the facts and I’m talking only about the facts, not the revisionist facts, but the facts that actually happened.”
He must not have been talking about my book, because he said he had not read it. But I’d be curious to know what he thinks of it once he’s read it.
Especially that part in the Appendix which shows how his mother and father intended to apportion their Swiss bank loot among the three children, leaving the Filipino people out of the equation.
Perhaps I would have to wait for a long time to learn what he thinks of my book. Perhaps forever. That’s OK. Marcos, Jr. was not my intended audience. The Filipino people, particularly the youth, are.
♦ ♦ ♦
He also asserted that Filipinos were not interested in the human rights record of his father’s regime. They were only interested in the present and the future and what he – the son of Marcos – could do for them.
Perhaps this is why Marcos, Jr. has been losing ground to Leni Robredo, who has been hammering away at the gross abuses of his father’s misrule.
♦ ♦ ♦
Why is it so important to know that torture and atrocities were a centerpiece policy of the Marcos dictatorship?
Because as Tony Lopez said today, Marcos was the best in politics and governance.
And the best had the worst human rights record among all Philippine presidents. The best was the only Philippine president who established a record number of detention camps for political prisoners. And the best is now being held up for emulation by future leaders. So you can expect that someone in the future, or maybe even today, someone who idolizes Marcos will try to copy and even top his human rights abuse record.
packednut says
Thar someone you say who idolizes Marcos and will try to copy and top his human rights abuses is already here. He has been doing it in Davao for the last 28 years.
Tina says
You know what scares me the most? That there will be future elections and that the threat of their coming again into power is there. That in complacency, we will be lax in our vigilance (in some form or the other) to make sure that the dark years of Martial Law and the Marcos Rule will never be forgotten, and that it should never happen again.
rejtatel says
Came across this case Trajano vs. Imee Marcos–Manotoc 978 F.2d 493 which said:
“Acts of former Philippine President’s daughter in connection with torture of Philippine citizen, taken on her own authority, rather than authority of republic of Philippines, could not have been taken with any official mandate and, therefore, could not have been acts of “agent or instrumentality of foreign state” within meaning of Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. 28 U.S.C.A. § 1603(b).”
So there we go, torture may not have been an official government mandate during the Marcos Regime, but nevertheless the Marcoses- Imee Marcos in this case, did it on their own “authority”.
Parekoy says
Desisyon
Mga kababayan, sa Lunes na ang araw ng pagpili ng mga taong sa tingin natin ay magsusulong ng ating mga adhikain at manilbihan para sa ating mga mamamayan.
Ang eleksyon ay isang araw na tayo ay pantay-pantay. Ito ang araw na ang mayaman at mahirap, ang may pinag-aralan at mangmang ay pareho ang kapangyarihan. Ang isang boto ng mayaman ay pareho lang ang bilang ng isang boto ng mahirap.
Isang araw na tayo ang boss pero ang desisyon natin ay magpapahiram ng anim na taon na kapangyarihan sa bagong pangulo at pangalawang pangulo, at tatlong taon sa mga mambabatas, mga gobernador, bise gobernador, mga kagawad, mga mayor, vice mayor, mga sanggunian, mga kapitan at kanilang mga katulong sa mga barangay.
Meron tayong napupusuan. Meron tayong itinutulak ng ating kaisipan. Meron din ibinubulong ng ating konsensya. Meron din namang sa atin ay ipinakiusap, at meron namang ipinipilit kapalit ng pera.
Para sa karamihan sa atin, ang araw na ito ay puno ng pag-asa, dahil sa tingin natin ang ating mga pipiliin ay sila ang tutulong sa atin para tayo ay may hanapbuhay, makakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw, umangat ng konti ang kabuhayan, magbigay ng kapayapaan, at maitama ang mga kamalian ng mga nakaraang gobyerno.
Alam natin na di tayo perpekto gayundin ang ating mga iboboto. Pero sana iboto natin ang mga taong sa tingin natin eh hindi lang makakatulong sa ating personal na pangangailangan kundi pati na rin sa pangangailangan ng ating inang bayan.
Ang pagpili ng Presidente at Bise Presidente ay ang dalawang pinakamabigat na desisyon na ating bibitawan dahil anuman ang epekto ay papasanin natin ng anim na taon, kung tayo ay nagkamali. At kung sakaling napakasama pala ng napili natin eh baka mahigit pa sa animi na taon ang ating magiging kalbaryo. Ang Presidente ang pinakamakapangyarihan sa ating sistema ng gobyerno at ang Bise Presidente ay hindi lang spare tire dahil ang kalakaran natin ay mahilig tayong pabagsakin ang Presidente pag paso pala sya- eh papano kung ang papalit eh paso at palso rin pala?
Sa panawagan kong ito, hindi ko kayo hihikayatin na bumoto sa mga napili ko. Naniniwala ako na nabigyan kayo ng mahabang pagkakataon na makilatis ang mga kandidato na gusto raw manilbihan para sa ating kapakanan. Naniniwala din ako na sagrado ang boto ng bawat isa sa atin.
Sana kung sino man ang magwagi eh bigyan natin ng pagkakataon na magserbisyo. Dapat igalang natin ang hindi perpektong pagpili base sa ating konstitusyon na kahit na 21 porsyento lang ng total na bomoto sa manalo at hindi mayorya eh sya ang nararapat na mabigyan ng kapangyarihan ayon sa ating saligang batas.
Pero huwag din nating kalimutan na anumang kapangyarihan ng mga nahalal ay ipinahiram lang natin at pwede nating bawiin kapag sila ay lumabag sa kontrata, meaning naging kurap, naging abusado, at anumang paglabag sa batas na pwedeng maging rason para sa impeachment. At kung sakali man na ang mga naatasan na sila ang ating bantay ay naging bantay salakay, eh huwag tayong mawalan ng pag-asa dahil may kapangyarihan tayong umalsa.
Ako ay umaasa na ang mga pulitiko ay natuto na at napagtanto nila na iba na ang panahon ngayon. Alam na nila na tayo ay nagising na at nadsikubre ulit ang ating natutulog na kakayahan at kapangyarihan na may kasamang bangis at handang mamatay para ipaglaban ang ating mga angking karapatan!
May isang araw at ilang oras pa tayo para pag-aralan at tiyakin na ginawa natin ang lahat na pagsusuri para umabot tayo sa tamang desisyon kung sino ang ating mga iboboto.
Mga kapatid, mayaman ka man o mahirap, may pinag-aralan o mangmang, Katoliko, Protestante, Iglesia, Muslim, at iba pang paniniwala, ipinaalaala ko lang na hindi tayo magkaaway dahil iba-iba ang ating mga ibinoto. Ang katotohanan nyan ay kalimitan ay ang ating mga nahalal ay karamihan ay abusado at sila pa ang lumalabag sa batas. Ang katotohanan ay kalimitan ay ang ating mga nahalal ay sila ang nagpapahirap sa ating mga mamamayan, at pare-pareho tayong biktima na mga bumoto man o hindi sa kanila.
Kaya pagbutihin nating maigi ang pagpili dahil ang anim na taon ay mahabang panahon na ating pagdudusahan kung tayo ay nagkamali!
Parekoy
05-07-2016
dalisay says
beautiful. re-posted in facebook. i hope okay with you.
Parekoy says
@dalisay,
Salamat!
Repost my message to all camps. Maka Roxas-Robredo, Maka Poe-Escudero, Maka Binay-Honasan, Maka Duterte-Cayetano o Maka Santiago-Marcos.
Kailangang malaman nating mga kababayan na pagkatapos ng halalan halos lahat tayo ay pwedeng makinabang o magdusa kahit sino man ang mahalal.
Kalimitan ay ginagamit lang tayo ng mga pulitiko at puro pangako na panay ay napapako.
Napaka-init ng ating mga balitaktakan at kulang na lang eh patayin natin ang mga taong kontra sa ating pananaw. Pero ang katotohanan ay ang karamihan ng mga pulitikong ating nahalal ay hindi ipinapaglaban ang ating kapakanan kundi ang kanila lamang pansariling ambisyon para lumago lalo ang kanilang mga yaman pati na kapangyarihan.
Pagkatapos nilang mahalal eh balik na tayo sa normal. Ang mga nahalal na dati eh halos yakapin tayo na parang matagal ng kaibigan eh hindi na natin sila basta-basta malalapitan at ang tingin sa atin ay manghihingi ng limos at tayo ay iniiwasan kasi baka mabawasan pa ang kanilang maisubi galing sa ating kaban ng bayan. Karamihan sa kanila ay ang tingin sa tin atin ay nabayaran na at panahon naman nila na kitain at bawiin ang mga ginastos nila sa kampanya. Kumbaga parang isang business transaksyon na tapos na ang obligasyon nila sa atin at hayaan na natin silang dumiskarte ng walang sagabal.
Sana maging maliwanag sa ating kaisipan na pagkatapos ng eleksyon ay dapat tayo ay magkaisa para bantayan ang mga nahalal dahil ang paglukluk sa kanila ay ang simula pa lang ng implementasyon ng ating bagong kontrata na ibinigay nati sa kanila sa pamamalakad ng ating gobyerno.
Kailangan magkaisa tayo ng paniniwala na ang pera ng bayan ay pera nating lahat at hindi ito regalo sa mga nanalo na pwede na nilang ariin at gastusin sa kanilang personal na pangangailangan. Dapat maiukit na natin sa ating mga kaisipan na kung galit tayo sa isnatser na ninakaw ang konting perang laman ng ating wallet o bag, at kapag nahuli natin eh binubugbug muna at halos patayin natin para huwag ng tularan, eh sana ganoon din ang turing natin sa ating mga Pulitiko at mga Public Servants na kung magnakaw eh kailangan tugisin, hulihin, sampahan ng kaso at ikulong para parusahan ayun sa saligang batas. Sana magakaisa tayo na ang parusa sa isang mahirap na magnanakaw ay pareho sa mayamang magnanakaw. Putulin na natin ang hindi pantay na kalakaran na kapag nagnakaw ang mayaman at makapngyarihan na tao eh sa ospital pa ang accommodation na parang hotel at may 24 oras na pangangalaga ng kanyang karamdaman at malayo pa sa kapahamakan.
Naniniwala ako na kung mangingibabaw ang ating pagmamahal sa ating Inang Bayan kumpara sa pagdepensa sa ating mga napiling pulitko, sigurado akong kaya nating baguhin ang mga bulok na sistema ng nakaraan.
Halina at magkaisa tayong ipaglaban ang kapakanan para sa ikabubuti at ikauunlad ng ating Inang Bayan!
Parekoy
05-07-2016
Matan G. Pusa says
Matindi ang dating ng sinulat mo. Good job. Namalit na ako ng boto para RORO enrolled 1 kid for college, tumawad pa ng Jordan’s.
noggy says
Applying some other considerations on the Laylo’s last survey:
1) Assuming almost no movement of support
2) Party Machinery
3) Voter turnout per candidate
I have Mar winning by 600k votes over Duterte :-)
—
Voters: 54.3M voters @ 80% = 43.44
D: 32.43 = x .70 = 22.70 = 9.8M
P: 24.58 x .80 = 19.664 = 8.54M
R: 21.67+5 = 26.67 x .90 = 24.003 = 10.42M
B: 15.44 + 3 = 18.44 x.9 = 16.60
S: 2.37
3.51 – undecided
——
100
Ancient Mariner says
A very timely reminder of the Marcos excesses and criminal behavior. Read it before you think of voting for Marcos, or Duterte who is a Marcos in waiting. All is revealed (again) in detailed and readable form.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/07/10bn-dollar-question-marcos-millions-nick-davies
This should never be forgotten. No Marcos should ever be in the same position again.
Vote sensibly.
Chie says
Guys, i just got this from Fb….. you might be interested why GP turned down Mar’s call for unity talk
https://mobile.twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/728807860151328768
Vhin AB says
Kaya nga sa media na sinabi ni Mar ang pag-uusap para hindi mapagbintangan ng kung anu-ano. Ngayon pati sa text nagpapaniwala si Grace. Yan ang mahirap sa baguhan talaga.
Kamote Procopio says
Sharing an article from Mon Abrea…
A reality check for tax-paying voters come May 9, lalung lalo na sa mga tatamad tamad at asa na lang sa gobyerno.
“We want action, but we don’t act.
Here we go again. We will vote for somebody who we think can change our country and our government to make life easy for us. We want a president who will end corruption, while we continue to bribe Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) examiners. We want a president to improve traffic condition, while we disregard traffic rules. How can we be too stubborn?
We always look for someone to blame or to be responsible for our lack of discipline, idleness or failures. When will we realize that even if we elect Pope Francis, he cannot change us as a nation or as a people? Change has to begin with each one of us. Change has to begin with you and me.
We need to dream again as one nation for the sake of our people and for the next generation.
On May 9, we will decide whether we want to change or we just want change. We can elect Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Senator Grace Poe, Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II or Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. It doesn’t really matter if we will not change.
Economic growth will continue, and the rich will further accumulate wealth. How about the ordinary people? Will your president take care of us? Will he/she make sure all our dreams come true in 6 years? I guess not.
If we want peace and order, more jobs, and lower taxes, all candidates can promise us everything done in 6 months or their first 100 days. But what guarantee do we have? Nothing.
I cannot absolutely give my vote to corrupt candidates who do not even pay their taxes correctly or to someone whose health condition is still in question. I pay my taxes. I deserve better.
But I also feel unsafe with the hero complex of Duterte. It’s too radical and dangerous. We are not a country of criminals and terrorists. Everyone is expecting him to eradicate crimes and illegal drugs as well as be the superhero to save us all from despair.
The truth is there’s so much indifference and indecisiveness not only in government but also among us. Those of us who can contribute much left the country or refused to work in the government, while those in government with noble intentions can hardly make decisions to move our country forward for the common good due to bureaucracy or ineffectiveness.
The Tax Management Association of the Philippines (TMAP) released a tax policy survey accomplished by all presidential and vice presidential candidates. It shows that all 5 presidential candidates categorically answered yes to push for a genuine comprehensive tax reform as a priority.
But among the 5, only Poe gave a response closest to my proposal in setting up a Tax Reform Commission composed of multi-sectoral groups.
Despite the affirmative responses of all 5 candidates, I honestly find the answers of Roxas most detailed, realistic, and doable. He knows well the economic and socio-political factors affecting the move for genuine tax reform – holistic and comprehensive.
As a tax advocate, I am definitely biased toward the favorable position of candidates on tax reform. You can view all their positions via Rappler on the Guide to the 2016 Philippine Elections.
Equally important to me is to know whether all candidates are paying the right taxes based on their assets reported in their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), and if they will pay the 5% withholding tax on their campaign expenditures which will be reported in their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
Also, I want to know if their contributors are honest taxpayers, as these are the same people who will influence the next president.
We are the real winners or losers, whoever will be elected as the next president. It is important that in their first 100 days, tax reform will be discussed and decided upon as a priority bill of the next president.
Let’s vote wisely. We don’t need to like everything about them. We don’t need to be friends, batchmates or schoolmates.
It’s not easy to be president so please don’t gamble on someone who just wishes to bring about change. Don’t vote based on your personal emotions or likes. Calm down, reflect, and think of our country, our people, and not just your personal preferences.
We need a leader who listens but who doesn’t necessarily follow everything we say.
As for me, I am voting for Roxas and vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo. I am taking my chances to work with them in pushing for a genuine tax reform–a simple, fair and equitable tax ”
http://www.rappler.com/business/features/132159-ask-tax-whiz-open-letter
leona says
Am getting this from FB now, this is one of two I came across same at FB:
‘NAKA PROGRAMMED NA PO ANG PANGALAN NI MAR ROXAS
. . . “Huling huli sa akto na may pandaraya ang PCOS Machine SHARE nyo para makasuhan ang COMELEC at ang Kasalukuyang adminsitrasyon, sa ibang bansa bitay ang katumbas nito……
It is a shocking incident that during the first try, a ballot was inserted without shading any name of a presidential candidate but the machine counted one vote for MAR ROXAS.
on the second try, the name of DUTERTE was shaded but when it was inserted in the machine, still it counted one vote for ROXAS. (the process was recorded in a video)”
TRIAL TEST of the PCOS tally machine!
|Watch it at FB…hope you get it.
https://www.facebook.com/
Myo says
matagal ng issue yan sa FB pero wala sa news ibig sabihin hindi totoo. Dapat ngsalita na taga comelec kung meron nga ganun pangyayari. Conditioning the mind ng mga dutertard. Go RORO
leona says
Is it do-able to have 5 programmed cards for 5 candidates the cards to be used in selected Regions?
These ARE PCOS machines! Needs a HUMAN to make the machine follow what is in the programmed operations! Isn’t it?
geee!
So COMELEC has to guard those/the PROGRAMMED CARD(S) ! ?
Any good computer PROGRAMMER here at CPMers? Maybe he/she can tell us about it in the best explanation/language.
gil garcia says
@leona, the FB link you probably are talking about is this https://www.facebook.com/Mugstoria/videos/1326417310707883/?comment_id=1326422060707408&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R4%22%7D
however, nothing in the video shows the actual operation of a VCM. I checked youtube and can’t find anything related to the allegation. could you provide?
BFD says
Saan?
Letlet says
I wonder if the PCOSmachine being referred to in the video is of the COMELEC or is it a look alike of COMELEC machine to mislead and manipulate the voters mind. A hacker managed to get hold of the COMELEC list of voters. Now, these people who the hacked list of voters need to have a look alike PCOS machine to complete their tasks of misleading the honest voters that it is the Roxas camp who are doing the cheating. I don’t buy this PCOS machine with Roxas turning out result. If this happened in polling sites with COMELEC around and all the people voting, I will believe it. Show us more evidence of the voting site and with people voting to make us believe the truthfulness of this video. More pictures, more evidences, more believable.
andrewlim8 says
“After all, fish rots from the head; so if the leader thinks it fine to bash the Pope for traffic woes, or joke about the rape-slaying of a missionary, or deliver vituperative remarks about other countries for reacting to his extreme comments, what can people expect of his followers?”
~PDI Editorial, Arresting a slide to mob rule
andrewlim8 says
To all those backing Duterte, just remember, when the killings start, you should be beside him. All the way. Even after the river of blood overflows. Stand by him and tell yourself, you helped the blood flow. You are very much a part of it. Don’t wash your hands off it. Be proud of what you’ve done. —Raissa Robles, journalist
kalakala says
already spread the word of ma’am raissa
leona says
“This is why Adaza thinks that Duterte warning to abolish Congress was just an empty threat.
He (Duterte) will not reach square two before he gets thrown out of the Palace. Congress is not the City Council of Davao City – in size and composition,” said Adaza.”
Akala mo matapang, duwag pala: Adaza says Digong once chickened out of gun duel he himself initiated.
Link
http://politics.com.ph/akala-mo-matapang-duwag-pala-adaza-says-digong-once-chickened-out-of-gun-duel-he-himself-initiated/
leona says
HA HA HA
‘ ’twas a joke on a fool.’ ‘ Du30.’
leona says
and –
“Duterte was so pissed off that he challenged Waldy to a duel near the Davao City Hall at 9 o’clock in the morning, to bring two magazines for his pistol and with Duterte having only two bullets,” said Adaza.”
2 bullets? Derringer siguro. He will not bring a gun? How will the bullets fire?
Your guess is as good as mine.
he he he