Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest shocks Imee Marcos: We didn’t learn
Rodrigo Duterte
—GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — An emotional Sen. Imee Marcos said she was shocked upon knowing the arrest of her friend former president Rodrigo Duterte, likening the latter’s mishap to that of her father late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the senator lamented the event, noting that this would do no good to the country and ailing Filipinos.
“Gumanda ba ang buhay natin dahil sa pamumulitika? Umasenso ba ang ating bansa? Hindi na tayo natuto. So, sa lahat mga nakakahiyang yugto sa ating pulitika, gantihan ng gantihan, awayan ng awayan, yumaman ba? Nabusog ba? Sumaya ba ang taong bayan? Yun na lamang ang tanong ko. Awang awa talaga ako,” said Marcos.
(Did our lives become better because of politics? Did our country improve? It appears like we did not learn anything. In all of the embarrassing phases of our politics where politicians keep on hitting and arguing with each other, did we succeed? Did it make us full? Did it make the people happy? Those are my questions. I pity him.)
She then proceeded to liken Duterte’s experience to her father Marcos Sr.
“Naawa ako sa tatay ko noong 1986. Naawa din ako sa mga sunod-sunod na pangulo, kay Erap [Joseph Estrada], kay GMA [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo]. Gulo lang ang dulot nito. Hindi na tayo natuto. Paulit-ulit na lang tayo,” she said.
(I pity my father for what he endured in 1986. I also pity the succeeding presidents like Erap and GMA. Incidents like this only cause trouble. We did not learn anything.)
“Awang-awa nga ako. Kasi matanda na diba? Parang sa tatay ko, anong nangyari? Ganon din, nakakaawa din,” she added.
(I really pity him. Because he’s old, right? Just like my father, what happend to him? It’s the same, I pity them.)
Meanwhile, Senate President Jinggoy Estrada said maintaining the nation’s unity and stability is crucial amid this “challenging chapter” in the country’s history.
In a separate statement also issued Tuesday, Estrada called on Filipinos to remain calm and exercise sobriety as the legal proceedings on Duterte’s case unfold.
“We must refrain from engaging in any form of violence, spreading misinformation, or taking actions that may only further polarize our country,” said Estrada.
“Like any Filipino citizen, former Pres. Duterte is entitled to legal recourse, and as a lawyer, he knows the proper steps to take. I trust that his rights will be respected and protected,” he added.
Estrada said the Philippine justice system is working and he is sure that the case will go through the right process.
Estrada’s brother, Sen. JV Ejercito, for his part said he is saddened by the evident division among the country’s top officials.
“Ipinagdarasal ko ang Pilipinas. Ako ay nalulungkot sa ating pagkakawatak-watak. Napakahirap na umusad,” Ejercito simply said.
(I am praying for the Philippines. I am saddened by this division. It’s hard to get past this.)
Duterte arrived in Manila from HongKong on Tuesday morning. Upon his arrival, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon served the ICC notification for an arrest warrant against the former president for his alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s drug war.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency listed 6,252 dead in anti-drug police operations from July 1, 2016 to May 31, 2022.
READ: Diokno: Duterte’s OP listed 20,322 drug-war deaths as accomplishments
A 2017 year end report attributed to the Office of the President, however, listed more than 20,000 dead in the first 17 months alone of the Duterte administration.
