FILE PHOTO: Senator Imee Marcos (left) and Vice President Sara Duterte (right). | Photo from Senate PRIB and the official Facebook page of Inday Sara Duterte
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. on Monday said that if he was Sen. Imee Marcos, he would no longer meet with Vice President Sara Duterte who earlier threatened to exhume the remains of the senator鈥檚 father, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. amid the political spat between the Dutertes and Marcoses.
鈥淔or one to say that the remains of one鈥檚 father would be exhumed and thrown to the West Philippine Sea, as a son, I was hurt. If I were Sen. Imee Marcos, if that was said of my father, I think we can no longer meet and talk starting that moment,鈥� Gonzales said in Filipino.
鈥淚 would say this is something else. This is a whole different issue,鈥� he added.
According to Vice President Duterte, she told Senator Marcos about this threat to exhume Marcos Sr.鈥檚 body.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know. But once, I actually told Senator Imee 鈥� I told her, if you don鈥檛 stop, I will dig up your father, I will throw him into the West Philippine Sea,鈥� Duterte said.
鈥淥ne of these days, I would go there, get your father鈥檚 body, and throw it to the West Philippine Sea,鈥� she added.
According to Gonzales, he only hears these kinds of banter during drinking sessions, and not during press briefings.
鈥淪o I hope we do not have such talk because these words, I only hear them during drinking sessions on the street, in the barangay, when people are already drunk and joking. But not in press briefings,鈥� he said.
sought the side of Senator Marcos, but she had not replied as of posting time.
Marcos contributions to the country
Meanwhile, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said that, while there might be critics of the Marcoses, that Marcos Sr. undeniably contributed something to the country.
鈥淵ou know, we may turn the world upside down, our former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., really did a lot for the country. Even if we say that he was accused of being a dictator, and that he was ousted from office, at the end of the day, we have to accept that he made a lot of things for the Filipino people,鈥� he said.
鈥淎nd saying that his body will be exhumed and thrown to the West Philippine Sea, I think for people who love him 鈥� especially Marcos loyalists who fight for the former president, this is so painful. We have to be careful with our statements,鈥� he added.
In November 2016, then-President Duterte was heavily criticized when his administration allowed Marcos Sr.鈥檚 burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Marcos Sr. was accused of pocketing billions of public funds while being the commander of state enforcers committing rights violations.
During Marcos Sr.鈥檚 two-decade regime, several rights violations were recorded 鈥� with international organization Amnesty International saying that 107,240 are considered primary victims of human rights violations.
According to the organization, at least 70,000 people were arrested during the martial law regime, where most were abducted arbitrarily or without arrest orders. Another 34,000 were tortured while 3,240 were killed.