MANILA, Philippines — Vice presidential bet Lito Atienza on Friday challenged presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to publicly commit that he would not repeat the misdeeds of his father’s dictatorial administration.
During the weekly Pandesal Forum, Atienza’s comment was sought regarding the argument: “the sin of the father is not the sin of the son” – an apparent reference to Marcos Jr and the deceased strongman, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Atienza said he agrees with the phrase, but stressed Marcos Jr. never even tried to explain himself in relation to the human rights violations and widespread corruption during his father’s reign, as well as his family’s ill-gotten wealth.
Atienza said many Filipinos suffered during Marcos Sr.’s dictatorial rule.
“I agree with that,” he said Friday. “Pero kung ayaw mong ipaliwanag ang sarili mo (But if you won’t explain yourself), I will consider you, by default, you are planning to commit the same sin.”
READ: Repetition of history ‘possible’ if Bongbong doesn’t admit martial law abuses – Atienza
“Kung talagang hindi ka gagawa ng masama, why don’t you face the people now and commit to us: ‘Hindi ko gagawin lahat ng mga ginawang masama ng administrasyon ng tatay ko. Hindi ko papayagan ang mga sundalo nananampal ng mga taong mahihirap. Hindi ko papayagan ang pagnanakaw sa gobyerno’?” he added.
(If you really won’t do the same, why don’t you face the people and commit to us: ‘I will not do all the wrongdoings committed during my father’s administration. I will not allow soldiers to slap poor Filipinos. I will not allow corruption in the government.’)
Atienza said Marcos Jr. should “realize and accept the fact” that many were abused during the martial law period.
“Martial law was a mistake. It did not help the country. It did not help the Filipino. It destroyed our morale, our character, our thinking. Lalo tayong naging slave mentality. Maraming pagbabagong nagawa dahil inalisan tayo ng karapatan,” Atienza said.
(Our slave mentality got worse. There were a lot of changes because our rights were stripped away from us.)
READ: Atienza tells Bongbong: You’re not a millennial to be ignorant of martial law atrocities
“If kung ‘yun lang ay hindi niya ma-admit, anong ating pag-uusapan? Gawin kang presidente makita naming gagawin mo rin pala. Mahirap bang sabihin ‘yung, ‘Alam nyo hindi ko gagawin kailanman ‘yung mga nakita nating kamalian’,” he added.
(If that alone he cannot admit, then what should we talk about? Elect you as a president so we can see that you will do the same? Is it hard to say, ‘I will not do what we have seen as mistakes in the past.’)
INQUIRER.net has sought the comment of Marcos Jr.’s camp on this latest remarks of Atienza but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.