Marcos to Aquino: Move on, we’ve been vindicated by Filipino vote

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that President Benigno Aquino III should put the past behind them and move on.

In an interview with ABS-CBN’s “Bandila” late Tuesday evening, Marcos said that he is gunning for the vice presidency because he wants to continue the legacy of service started by his late father former president Ferdinand Marcos.

“Ang amin namang ginagawa ay hindi naghahabol ng poder kundi pinagpapatuloy lamang ang aming serbisyo sa bansa kaya hindi namin iniisip, hindi yun ang isyu para sa amin. Kaya’t hindi namin iniisip yung ganung klaseng pagbalik sa poder. Ang iniisip lang namin, ano magagawa natin para maging mas maganda ang buhay dito sa atin,” Marcos said.

(What we are after is not going back to power but to continue the service we have rendered to the country. That is not an issue for us. For our part, we are just thinking of what is good for the country.)

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Marcos said “yes” when asked if Aquino should move on.

The senator issued the statement after Aquino said that he is confident that Filipinos will not bring another Marcos to Malacañang.

“There is a resurgence of support? No, no. I think the answer to that is very obvious. I don’t think so,” Aquino said during the annual media forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Tuesday.
READ: Aquino doesn’t see another Marcos in Malacañang

Marcos also said that being elected to public office is an indication that Filipinos have vindicated them.

“Siguro, yes. Binoboto kami eh (In a way, yes [we have been vindicated]. They have been voting for us.),” the vice presidential hopeful said.

Since the regime of the Marcos patriarch was toppled in 1986, the Marcoses have held various government positions: former first lady Imelda Marcos was Ilocos Norte representative, Imee Marcos is Ilocos Norte governor and Bongbong is a senator.

During the interview, the senator reiterated that he and his family have nothing to be sorry about.

“Kung meron akong nasaktan o meron akong ginawang pagkakamali, handa naman talaga akong mag-apologize pero ano yung ipag-aapologize, sino ba ang sinaktan ko? Pero kung merong ipakita na meron akong nagawa na dahil dun merong nahirapan, nasaktan, handang handa akong mag-apologize,” he said.

(If I hurt or committed a wrongdoing, I am willing to apologize. But what should I apologize for? Have I hurt anyone? But if there is evidence that I did something which brought hardship and suffering, I am ready to apologize.)

He said that history will be the one to judge the legacy left by his father.

“Ang kasaysayan ay nandyan na. Hindi natin pwedeng palitan kaya’t hindi mo maitutuwid ang baluktot, hindi mo maibabaluktot ang tuwid; so pabayaan natin ang kasaysayan ang maghusga sa kanya,” Marcos said.

(History is already there. We cannot change it—to straighten what had been twisted and to twist what was straight. Let history be the judge.)

Other issues discussed during the interview included the increase in Marcos’ net worth, the controversy regarding his school records and his tandem with presidential hopeful Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. CDG

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