The grave of former President Ferdinand Marcos has a wreath sent by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017. (Photo by DEXTER CABALZA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Detained Sen. Leila de Lima urged Filipinos on Sunday to keep exposing the “corruption and cruelty” of the martial law regime of then President Ferdinand Marcos.
De Lima issued the statement on the second anniversary of the controversial burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
“Mailibing man nila ang diktador sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, patuloy nating ihayag at ilimbag sa pahina ng kasaysayan ang katiwalian at kalupitan ng kanyang rehimen,” De Lima said in a dispatch from her detention cell at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
[They may have buried the dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, but let’s continue to spread and in print in the pages of history the corruption and cruelty of his regime.]
“Napakalaki ng pagkakaiba ng mga bayaning nag-alay ng buhay at nagmalasakit sa bayan, sa diktador na nag-udyok ng mga pagpatay, at nagdulot ng pasakit at kalunos-lunos na pagdurusa sa napakaraming Pilipino,” she added.
[The heroes who have offered their lives and served the country are a lot different from the dictator who encouraged killing and who brought pain and tragic suffering to so many Filipinos.]
De Lima also remarked on the graft conviction of former first lady Imelda Marcos.
“Mabagal man ang naging pag-usad ng katarungan, hindi pa rin naging huli ang lahat, dahil malinaw na pahayag ito sa buong mundo: Hindi bayani si Marcos. Nagnakaw ang mga Marcos.”
[Justice may have moved slowly, but not everything came late, because this clearly announes to the whole world: Maqrcos was not a hero. The Marcoses stole [from the country.]
Last Nov. 9, the Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan found the former first lady guilty of seven out of 10 counts of graft in connection with $200 million funneled through seven Swiss foundations that she created with her husband, naming their children among their beneficiaries.
READ: Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, ordered arrested
“Makapagpiyansa man si Imelda Marcos, at makaisip ng napakaraming dahilan para hindi makulong, dapat ituwid ang sistemang pangkatarungan na nananatiling hindi patas sa mahihirap at kumikiling sa mga makapangyarihan,” De Lima said.
[Imelda Marcos may have posted bail and she may be able to think of way to avoid imprisonment, but we should correct a system of justice that is not fair to the poor and that favors the powerful.]
Mrs. Marcos posted P150,000 bail last Friday, pending decision of the court on her motion for leave, despite her conviction.
READ: Imelda Marcos leaves Sandigan after posting P150K bail
De Lima, who has been detained since February 2017 on drug charges, lamented how innocent people had remained in jail while those found guilty remained free despite their conviction.
“Hindi makatwiran na ang mga inosente ay nasa piitan, habang ang nahatulang guilty ay nagagawa pang makipag-party,” the senator said.
[It’s not right for the innocent to be held in jail while those who have been found guilty could still go to a party.]
She was referring to the birthday party of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, daughter of the former first lady.
Mrs. Marcos attended the birthday party only hours after she skipped her sentencing at the Sandiganbayan.
“Walang hustisya sa inuusig at ginigipit na tapat na lingkod-bayan samantalang nananatiling malaya ang mandarambong na nagkamal ng bilyon-bilyong piso mula sa kaban ng bayan,” she added.
[There’s no justice when those sincerely serving the country are being persecuted and harassed while bandits who looted billions of pesos from the national coffers remain free.]
READ: Court allows Imelda Marcos to post P150,00 bail
The remains of late dictator Marcos was laid to rest “unexpectedly” on Nov. 18, 2016, 27 years after his death in 1989.
He was previously interred in a mausoleum in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
READ: Marcos laid to rest in ‘sneaky’ rites at Libingan ng mga Bayani
On Aug. 8, 2016, the Supreme Court upheld with finality its 2016 decision allowing Marcos’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. /atm