Robin Padilla backs Marcos burial, says Mariel is pro-Trump

MANILA, Philippines – Robin Padilla has always been vocal about his political views, and the actor spoke up on a few world and national issues at a press conference on Wednesday, November 16.

Robin was asked for his reaction to the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that allowed former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery). The Martial Law era under Marcos was marred by human rights abuses and corruption.

“Naku, nagkamali ka ng pagtanong dahil I love Marcos. I love Ninoy, I love Marcos,” answered Robin. “Dahil para sa akin, wala akong political color. Hindi ako KBL, hindi ako Laban.”

(You asked the wrong question because I love Marcos. I love Ninoy, I love Marcos. Because for me, I don’t have any political color. I’m not for KBL, I’m not for Laban.)

Robin was referring to Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), a political party founded by Marcos, and Lakas ng Bayan (Laban), a political party founded by former senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

He continued: “Ang pinag-uusapan natin, may nagawa si Marcos, kahit sino’ng kausapin natin, sa panahon namin ‘yun. Bata pa ako, naramdaman ko ‘yung mga nagawa niya.”

(What we’re talking about is, Marcos had accomplishments, no matter who you talk to, that was during our time. I was still a child then, and I felt what Marcos had done.)

“Kung anuman sinasabi nilang naging atraso ni Pangulong Marcos sa kabilang partido, eh ganoon din talaga. Wala po tayong magagawa. Bayani sila. Sila ang mga bayani noong panahon na iyon,” Robin explained.

(Whatever they say were President Marcos’ sins against the other party, that’s how it is. There’s nothing we can do. They’re heroes. They were the heroes of that era.)

Robin also echoed the sentiments of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that since Marcos was a soldier, he deserves to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“Parang walang logic eh. ‘Yung mga nakalibing sa Libingan ng [mga] Bayani, sundalo, ‘di ba? Kung hindi natin papayagan si Marcos ilibing doon, eh ‘di pati ‘yung mga nakalibing na sundalo doon kinukuwestiyon natin. Dahil lumaban din sila sa Komunista, lumaban din sila sa mga Moro. Pero nakalibing sila doon… C’mon, kailangan matutunan ng kabataan natin ang history, ‘wag natin itago,” Robin said.

(It’s like there’s no logic. Those who are buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, they’re soldiers, right? If we don’t allow Marcos to be buried there, then we’ll have to question even the soldiers buried there. Because they fought against the communists too, they fought against the Moros too. But they’re buried there. C’mon, our children need to learn history, let’s not hide it.)

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), however, is against a hero’s burial for Marcos. It said the late dictator’s record as a soldier during World War II is “fraught with myths, factual inconsistencies, and lies.”

Martial Law victims and activists who also oppose the burial maintain it is unconstitutional and an injustice to those who suffered under the Marcos regime. (READ: ‘History lost its meaning’: Petitioners react to SC ruling on Marcos burial)

Supporting Trump

Robin also explained why his wife, Mariel Padilla – a US citizen who recently gave birth in the US – supports President-elect Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post on November 13, Robin let his followers know that Mariel voted for Trump, saying, “We campaigned for Trump, [Mariel] and her family voted for the guy.”

Well i respect all views but we campaigned for Trump @marieltpadilla and her family voted for the guy. Immigration is never my problem because i am a Filipino by choice so i do not have any plan of embracing another citizenship. My concern is for the good of the collective, World Peace and the END of economic terrorism. Immigrants are coming to america because of poverty and war in iraq, afghanistan, libya, syria, yemen etc…Trump promise to work with Russia and that i believe was the purpose of ending the cold war in the 80s. I do not believe arab and asian muslims will exchange their Motherland and Fatherland to american democracy, nothing wrong with it actually i love studying it. We just need to respect each others culture and tradition. Religion has nothing to do with my political views, my faith is for me alone and travelling and exploring are part of educating myself and my family with World History and Understanding every color and race. GOD BLESS AMERICA !!

A video posted by robin padilla (@robinhoodpadilla) on Nov 12, 2016 at 6:57pm PST

 

Trump has had a controversial campaign season, as his comments against immigrants, women, and Gold Star families, among others, made headlines. (READ: Trump election win sparks protests across US)

In December 2015, Trump said Muslims should be barred from entering the US, “until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”

More recently, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Trump’s advisers are drafting a proposal for a registry for immigrants from Muslim countries as a security measure.

Robin, who himself is a Muslim, clarified on November 16 that he isn’t interested in being an American citizen.

“Ang aking interest kay Trump kasi nakikita ko, willing siya to work with Russia,” said Robin, reiterating a point from his Instagram post.

(I’m interested in Trump because I can see he is willing to work with Russia.)

“Kasi iyan ang problema natin dito eh ayaw natin magusap-usap. At least si Trump, gusto niya makipagusap sa Russia. Kasi domino iyan. ‘Pag sinabi mong Russia, andiyan na ‘yung mukha ng China, nandiyan na iyan. Kabila naman, America, NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization].

(Because our problem here is that we don’t want to talk. At least Trump wants to talk to Russia. Because that’s like a domino effect. When you say Russia, China will also be there. On the other hand, there will also be America, NATO.)

“To make the story short, gusto ko ng peace. Gusto lang natin ng world peace para maging masaya na tayo ulit. Kasi kung balikan mo naman 10 years ago, masaya tayo eh. Wala naman ‘tong mga terrorism, terrorism eh, saan ba nanggaling ‘to diba? Kaya ako nag-Trump.”

(To make the story short, I want peace. We all want world peace so we can all be happy again. Because if you go back to 10 years ago, we were happy people. There was no terrorism, where did that even come from? That’s why I support Trump.)

When a reporter asked if Robin were okay with Trump’s previous anti-Muslim statements, Robin answered that he never saw Trump as anti-Islam.

“Kailanman hindi ko siya nakitang anti-Islam. Nakita ko siya anti-terrorist talaga siya. ‘Yun lang, medyo, ‘yung kanyang knowledge sa Islam, progressive. Mayroon lang siyang kaibigang Muslim, pero hindi niya napag-aralan ang Islam. Kaya ngayon, bilang presidente na siya, unti-unti niyang naiintindihan ‘yung Islam.”

(I never saw him as anti-Islam. I saw him as anti-terrorist. It’s just that his knowledge of Islam is progressive. He has friends who are Muslim, but he hasn’t studied Islam. So now that he is president-elect, he can slowly understand Islam.)

Some Muslims, however, do not share the same view as Robin’s. They have expressed fear that America under a Trump presidency could be hostile toward Muslims.

Trump, back in August, also previously tagged 9 countries – including the Philippines – as “terrorist nations.” He told supporters at a rally in Maine, “We’re dealing with animals.”

Robin also talked about Trump’s recently announced plan to deport 3 million undocumented migrants. “Sinabi niya lang may 3 million siyang ide-deport, pero ito ‘yung mostly criminals. ‘Di na niya sinabing – zeroing [in] on the Muslim, sinabi lang niya illegal immigrants na involved sa crime and drugs, ‘di ba?”

(He said he will deport 3 million people, but mostly criminals. He didn’t say – zeroing in on Muslims, he only said illegal immigrants and those involved in crime and drugs, right?)

Robin, who was convicted of illegal possession of firearms in 1994, was recently granted executive clemency by Duterte.

Now that he has been granted absolute pardon, Robin hopes to get a US visa to join Mariel and their new baby, Maria Isabella, in the US state of Delaware. – Rappler.com