MANILA, Philippines — Because Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was already proclaimed President-elect of the country, people want to know if the EDSA People Power Revolution would still be commemorated under the incoming administration.
On Wednesday, following Marcos Jr.’s proclamation as victor of the May 2022 presidential race, a reporter asked the matter to his chief of staff and spokesperson, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, who outrightly avoided answering the query.
During the ambush interview, Rodriguez said: “I don’t see any connection to what we just did today, getting the President-elect and the Vice President-elect proclaimed to what you’re asking me now.”
The world-famous bloodless People Power Revolution in 1986 marked the ouster of the administration of Marcos Jr.’s father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who placed the country under martial law and whose regime was marred with massive rights abuses and corruption.
READ: Marcos’ martial law: Golden age for corruption, abuses
READ: Fast facts on martial law
The same reporter then asked another question – if the President-elect has any plans for the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was established to recover the ill-gotten wealth of Marcos, his family and their cronies, estimated to be worth $5 billion to $10 billion.
The PCGG along with the Commission on Human Rights were created after the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.
For this query, Rodriguez reiterated that Marcos Jr. had already clarified in the past that he may strengthen the PCGG as an anti-corruption tool.
“He has answered that many, many times as well,” Rodriguez said.
“That he will even in fact strengthen it if the condition would warrant, meaning law permitting, we have to review how to further strengthen it as an anti-corruption instrument or tool,” he added.
READ: Marcos, if elected, vows to ‘strengthen’ PCGG to target all corruption cases
Last April 27, Marcos Jr. told CNN Philippines that he intends to strengthen PCGG as an anti-corruption agency that would go after all individuals or people who are accused of corruption.
“Strengthen it. Ang pinag-uusapan mo ‘yung corruption, graft and corruption. ‘Yan ang trabaho nila, pagtibayin mo. Give them bigger budget. Give them more staff para habul-habulin talaga nila lahat. Then mag-file sila ng kaso sa Ombudsman,” Marcos Jr. said.
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