FILE PHOTO: Protesters gather on September 22, 2020, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to mark the 48th anniversary of the declaration of martial law and remember the atrocities during the country’s darkest days in history as well honor the victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Toppling the Marcos regime and efforts to prevent the Marcoses from returning to the ultimate seat of power were never just about the squabble of families.
This was the pointed reminder of a veteran activist to Filipinos after aspiring president Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, currently mayor of the city of Manila, criticized how some people were still unable to move on from the past and appeared to have just dismissed moves to thwart historical revisionism and the creeping Palace come back of the Marcos family to a mere fight between the Aquinos and Marcoses.
“It was never a fight between 2 families. It was a fight between the Filipino people and the forces of dictatorship. And it is now a fight for justice and against historical revisionism. #NeverAgain,” stressed Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes in a tweet Friday.
Reyes said the people’s resistance was due to the fact that many Filipinos had been oppressed and suffered during the dictatorial rule of former president Ferdinand Marcos.
Today, he added, people fear distortion of history in favor of the Marcoses if the dictator’s scion and namesake Bongbong succeeds to become the next president through the 2022 elections.
It was never a fight between 2 families. It was a fight between the Filipino people and the forces of dictatorship. And it is now a fight for justice and against historical revisionism. #NeverAgain
— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) October 8, 2021
Reyes further belied assertions that fighting the dictatorship can be differentiated from pushing for poor people’s welfare because the sins of the Marcos regime — like massive loans and widespread plunder — can be directly correlated to poverty.
“Hindi rin naman totoo na malayo sa bituka ng tao ang alaala ng diktadurang Marcos. Kaya nga naghirap ang bansa at nabaon sa utang, dahil sa pandarambong at mga abuso noon,” he explained.
(It is also not true that memories of the Marcos dictatorship are far from the people’s stomachs. The country was precisely forced into poverty and buried in debt because of plunder and abuse during that time.)
“Tapos ‘yung ninakaw na yaman ang gagamitin para makabalik sa pwesto. Usapin talaga ng hustisya,” he added.
(Then the plundered wealth would be used to return to power. It’s really about justice.)
Reyes did not bring up any names in his remarks, but Moreno recently talked about the Marcos and Aquino political rivalry, when he questioned Vice President Leni Robredo’s reason for running for president next year.
Robredo has been saying that people should come together to stop the return of the Marcoses to the Palace.
“‘Yan lang ba ang dahilan kung bakit siya tatakbo? Paano naman kaming mga Pilipino, wala kaming trabaho? Maraming Pilipino, nagdidildil ng asin, maraming Pilipino, hindi malaman ano ang naghihintay sa kanya sa kinabukasan. Marcos na naman?” Moreno asked.
(Is that her only reason why she is running? How about us Filipinos, we do not have any jobs? A lot of Filipinos eat salt as a viand, a lot of Filipinos do not know what future lies for them. Then you would bring up Marcos again?)
“Bakit kailangan uminog ang mundo namin ngayon sa away ng Marcos at Aquino? sa away ng anak ni Marcos, at mga anak at kasama ng yellowtards?” he added.
(Why does our world have to revolve around the fight of the Marcoses and the Aquinos? With the fight of Marcos’ scions and the children and friends of the yellowtards?)
READ: Isko questions Robredo’s rationale: Why run only to block the Marcoses?
Prior to this, Robredo had said that the local chief executive’s stance on Bongbong’s presidential bid was among the factors she considered in her decision to join the 2022 presidential race.
But Robredo was clear that stopping the Marcoses was not her only reason for running, saying that she also wants to prevent a brand of government similar to President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime.
Weeks before Robredo decided on running for president, Moreno was labeled as a supporter of the Marcoses, as he said that the revision of history would be possible if the younger Marcos wins in 2022.
This goes against Robredo’s conditions for her to step back from her possible candidacy. Then, there were also talks of Moreno being a secret candidate of Duterte — which the Manila City mayor vehemently denied.
READ: Historical revisionism possible if Bongbong Marcos gets elected – Isko Moreno
Just within the past month, Moreno and Robredo were even talking about forming a possible unified coalition to strengthen the opposition’s chances against the administration’s anointed candidate.
According to Robredo, she was willing to forgo her candidacy if she believes it was the best for the opposition, which means a style of government similar to Duterte’s, and the return of the Marcoses to power would be prevented.
During her own announcement on Thursday, Robredo said there were invites for her to join other candidates’ slate, but she declined as her proposal for the unity talks were not about getting support for her candidacy, but more of finding out whether they shared the same principles and views for the government.
READ: Robredo reveals reason for breakdown of unity talks with other candidates
Then, she made an apparent swipe at her opponents, saying that candidates should make it clear where they stand on issues, or else their affiliations would be questioned.
READ: Robredo: If you can’t call out mistakes, if you compromise, where do you stand?