Otso Diretso bets to Duterte: ‘Don’t revise history’

MANILA, Philippines — Otso Diretso senatorial candidates on Wednesday assailed President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that there was no proof to pin down the Marcoses for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth during late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos’ 20-year regime.

Duterte earlier claimed during his speech at the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Manila: “Until now, you have not proven anything except to sequester and sell. Hindi mo nga sigurado kung talagang kay Marcos ba ‘yan?”

READ: Duterte: Still no proof linking Marcoses to ill-gotten wealth

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno warned the Chief Executive against “revising” the history and insisted that the Marcos ill-gotten wealth is not “fake news.”

“Baka nakalimutan ni Pangulo iyong desisyon ng ating Supreme Court mismo noong 2003 na sinabi nila, ang perang iyan ay ill-gotten wealth. Hindi pera ng mga Marcos iyan, pera ng bayan iyan,” said Diokno during the People Management Association of the Philippines Senatorial Forum at Fairmont, Makati City.

Diokno stressed that the Supreme Court’s decision was a “final judgment,” and that “the truth about the Marcos wealth is already set in stone.”

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano also backed Diokno: “May biktima, may nawalang bilyong pera, hindi pwedeng walang nagnakaw.”

Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc meanwhile chided the President, saying he has no “business tinkering with history.”

“Wala pang tatlong taon sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni President Duterte, hindi lang niya binabago ang mapa ng Philippine territory, binabago din niya pati ang Philippine history. Mr. President, you do not have business tinkering with history, especially the part on how the Marcoses amassed money through ill-gotten means, or the atrocities that occurred during their time,” Gutoc said.

“Hindi po maikli ang aming memorya, pero ang pasensya po namin ay hindi rin mahaba. Mr. President, and I appeal to your better sensibilities to drop this unmerited favor,” she added.

For his part, former Solicitor General Pilo Hilbay reminded Duterte that the victims during martial law were given compensation last year and the fund came from those recovered from the Marcoses.

“Dapat sigurong ipaalala kay Pangulo na last year lang, naglabas tayo ng compensation para sa mga biktima ng Martial Law, at ang pumondo ay ang mga nabawing nakaw na yaman ng pamilya Marcos,” Hilbay pointed out.

“Malaki-laki na rin ang nabawi but more work needs to be done. Kung hindi nagnakaw iyong mga Marcoses, kanino galing ang mga perang nabawi?” he asked. /je