FILE PHOTOS Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should acknowledge, but not apologize over, the mistakes committed by his late father, fellow presidential candidate Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said Tuesday.
In the same breath, however, Dela Rosa said that if it happened to him, he would personally apologize for the mistakes of his father as it would not be a hard task to do.
“Siguro, i-acknowledge nya kung mayroong mga yung mga kamalian na nagawa ng kanyang tatay but hindi siya mag-apologize doon sa nagawa ng tatay niya, dahil ang kasalanan ng tatay ay hindi naman siguro kasalanan ng anak,” Dela Rosa said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
“That’s fair enough na sabihin natin ni-recognize nya na may ill-gotten wealth. Pero kung mag-sorry and apologize for the mistakes of his dad, kawawa naman,” he added.
But when asked if he would personally apologize if he were put in Marcos’ shoes and his own father made mistakes while in power, Dela Rosa said he would apologize.
“Kung ako, mag-apologize ako. Kung ako, para sa akin. But I don’t want to ascribe my own standards to Bongbong Marcos,” Dela Rosa said.
“Fair lang tayo, kasalanan ng ama, hindi kasalanan ng anak. Pero kung nangyari sa akin yan, nagkasala yung tatay ko, wala namang problema kung mag-apologize ako. Madali lang naman yang gawin,” he added.
Bongbong Marcos is the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. who led the country from 1965 to 1986 amid allegations of violations of human rights and amassing billions of pesos from the national coffers perpetrated during the martial law years.
For these, critics have called on the Marcos family to apologize.
Asked about the issue of ill-gotten wealth, Dela Rosa said: “Sa ill-gotten wealth na gusto ninyo, ako ay Pilipino, kung talagang pera yan ng taumbayan, ibalik natin yan. Kailangan ibalik ‘yan.”
“Pero ako ha, bakit ba tayo humantong tayo sa ganito — 1986 pa yan, hindi pa pala tapos yan? Gaano ba kalaki ang ill-gotten wealth yan? Ganun pala katagal. Akala ko tapos na yan. Napakatagal na panahon na,” he added.
INQUIRER.net sought the comment of Marcos and his office, but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.