Former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair and martial law victim Etta Rosales said that if Imelda Marcos can party and run for the 2019 elections, she can also serve time in jail.
Rosales pointed out in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net on Monday that considering the age of Mrs. Marcos, authorities will treat her accordingly when she is arrested.
She was reacting to an earlier statement of Philippine National Police (PNP) that they will consider Marcos’ age on her arrest.
READ: Albayalde on Marcos’ arrest: We have to take into consideration her age
“Ang ibig sabihin lang naman ng old age, makatao ang iyong pagtrato, kahit nga hindi old age dapat makatao ang trato mo sa mga kinukulong mo, wag mo silang sinasaktan, wag mo silang tino-torture, wag mo silang pinapatay, di ba? Yun lang naman ang ibig sabihin nun,” Rosales said.
(Old age here means that she should be treated humanely. And even for persons who are not old, they should be treated with respect during their arrest. They should not be harmed, tortured or killed.)
Nevertheless, the former human rights chair still urged the police to do its duty and arrest Mrs. Marcos.
“Dahil na-convict iyan, tungkulin ng Philippine National Police, na-iserve na pala sa kanila iyong warrant of arrest, bakit sila gegewang-gewang, dahil ba mayaman? Ganun ba sila tumingin?” she said.
(Because she is convicted, it is the duty of the PNP to serve her warrant of arrest. Why are they hesitating? Is it because she is wealthy? Is that how they see it?)
She added that there are elderly people arrested by authorities for crimes much smaller than those committed by the former first lady.
READ: Convicting the elderly: Does age really matter?
“Ngayon yung old age ni Imelda Marcos, eh kailan lang ba yung balita na yung isang matanda in his 70’s nagnakaw nung corned beef di ba? Nagnakaw siya ng corned beef na halagang 39 pesos, kinulong nila, so isang nagnakaw ng corned beef dahil sa gutom siguro yung pamilya nila sa halagang 39 pesos, kinukulong, yun pa kayang bilyong-bilyong piso ang ninakaw sa gobyerno? Aba’y dapat ikulong yan,” Rosales noted.
(There was news in the past that an elderly person was jailed for stealing corned beef valued at P39. That person was jailed. What about someone who stole billions of pesos from the government. She should be jailed as well.)
“Ang dami ngang matatandang napapatay nila dun sa kanilang, dito sa mga EJKs, may mga matatandang namatay (There are many elderly persons killed because of EJKs),” she added.
Rosales also pointed out that if Mrs. Marcos was able to party and seek a gubernatorial post for the upcoming May 2019 elections, then she can serve her time in jail.
“Nasa party siya, kung kaya niyang magpunta sa party at kaya niyang tumakbo bilang governor, yun nga’y sinasabi niya, tatakbo raw siya bilang governor. Aba’y kaya naman siguro niyang makulong,” she said.
(If she can attend a party and run for governor, then she can also serve time in jail.)
READ: Marcos widow, grandson run for Ilocos Norte governor, vice governor
“Wag lang nila siyang totorturin, bawal yun, wag nila siyang sasaktan, makatao ang trato nila sa kanya, pero pwede nila siyang ilagay sa kulungan. Dahil yun ang due process, at yun yung ibig sabihin ng, yung pantay-pantay na pagsasakatuparan ng batas,” she added.
(But they should not torture her. It’s against the law. She should be treated humanely, but she can be placed in jail because that is due process. That means the law is implemented fairly.)
The former first lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte representative was spotted with other government officials celebrating the birthday of her daughter, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, even after she was convicted of graft hours earlier.
The Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division found the incumbent Ilocos Norte representative guilty of seven counts of graft.
The anti-graft court sentenced Marcos on Friday to imprisonment of from six years and one month, up to 11 years for each count.
READ:Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, ordered arrested
Following this, PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said they will consider the age of Mrs. Marcos when it comes to her arrest, but they gave assurances that they will abide nonetheless to the court’s order to arrest her. /ee
READ: PNP to ‘gladly abide’ by court’s order to arrest Imelda Marcos