Former Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — “We cannot have national unity built on national amnesia.”
This was the remark of activist and vice-presidential candidate Walden Bello Thursday on the “unity” slogan of the tandem of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who are running for president and vice president, respectively.
“Slogans, kagaya ni Marcos and si Sara Duterte, ‘let’s unite, unite, unite,’ without looking at the fact that ang daming mga problema talaga,” Bello said during the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands forum.
(Slogans, like Marcos and Sara Duterte’s “let’s unite, unite, unite,” without looking at the fact that there are a lot of problems.)
“We cannot have national unity built on national amnesia because Marcos would like us to forget the horrible years of his father and Sara would like us to forget the fact that 20,000 Filipinos have been killed in the drug war,” he continued.
Marcos Jr.’s namesake and father is the late dictator of the Philippines who was overthrown during the 1986 People Power Revolution.
Duterte-Caprio ’s father, meanwhile, is outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte who is controversial for his bloody war on drugs which has killed thousands of individuals.
Bello challenged the tandem to show themselves during debates and confront the other hopefuls.
“Kaya nga hinahamon talaga namin sila na lumabas sa (That is why we are challenging them to come in) debate. Confront all the other candidates, including Leody [de Guzman] and myself, in debates rather than hide behind this slogan of unity. But they are not willing to do that because they would be exposed as fakers,” said Bello.
Marcos has skipped several presidential interviews due to various reasons.
Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, said Bello’s statement should be respected as it is his right under democracy.
He likewise hoped that Bello realize that their desire for unity is real.
“Ano man ang kanyang layunin sa kanyang mga pahayag ay hangad po namin ang kapayapaan sa kanyang pag-iisip at nawa’y mapagtanto nyang tunay ang hangad ng UniTeam na pagkakaisa para sa pagtawid ng sambayanan sa pandemya at sa krisis na dulot nito,” he said in a message to INQUIRER.net.
(Whatever his objective is for his statement, we wish him peace and we hope he realize that UniTeam’s desire for unity for the public’s recovery amid the pandemic and crisis is real.)
Bello is running with de Guzman under the Partido Lakas ng Masa for the May 9 elections.
Campaign period kicked off on February 8 for national candidates while it will start on March 25 for local candidates.