Imelda has always been against death penalty, says Imee Marcos

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Wednesday said that her mother, former first lady now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos has always been against death penalty.

“Last week pa, sinasabi niya na sa amin na boboto nga siya ng ‘no,’ na tutol siya sa pagtanggal nung dating abolition, ‘yung pagbalik ng death penalty. Matagal na talaga ‘yan, panahon pa ng tatay ko,” Imee said in an interview at the Asia CEO Forum that was held in Pasay City.

(Since last week, she has been telling us that she’ll be voting no and that she was against the reimposition of the death penalty. She’s had this stance for a long time, ever since my father’s time.)

The bill seeking to reimpose the death penalty on drug-related offenses has been approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives, the lower house in a session on Tuesday passed the House Bill 4727 with 217 voting yes, 54 no and one abstention.

READ: House approves death penalty bill with 217 yes votes                            

Imelda was one of the 54 representatives who voted no.

“’Yung tatay ko naman at that time siyempre tatalima sa batas noon, may death penalty noon at nung nangyari nga after nung martial law, 3 million heroin heist, almost immediately at si Lim Seng, ’yung drug pusher, na pinatay through execution—talagang ‘yung nanay ko, umaalma,” Imee recalled, referring to the regime of her father, late dictator and former president Ferdinand Marcos.

(My father at that time was very obedient to the law, there was death penalty back then and when the 3 million heroin heist happened, almost immediately Lim Seng the drug pusher was killed through execution, my mother really objected.)

In The Know: Execution of drug lord Lim Seng

“Matagal na talaga siyang (Imelda) opposed sa death penalty, dahil sabi niya, hindi raw makatao, hindi raw maka-Diyos. Sa amin namang magkapatid, full support kami kay Presidente Duterte. Galit kami sa drugs eh, kaya sana mapawi na itong sumpa ng droga, at kung kinakailangan magka-death penalty, okay, importante,” she added.

(She (Imelda) has always been against death penalty because she said it wasn’t humane, it wasn’t godly. However, for us siblings, we fully support President Duterte. We’re against drugs, so we hope this curse of drugs will be erased and if death penalty is needed, it’s okay with us.)

She said that she and her brother, former Senator Bongbong Marcos strongly support President Rodrigo Duterte and his war on drugs, saying that death penalty is needed in the President’s campaign against the illegal substance.

“I’m certain that it is going to be a thorough discussion in the Senate and the national debate will continue considering that many are also going to file cases to appeal the vote at Supreme Court level,” Imee said. JE