Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Ayee Macaraig

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His mother voted against the impeachment of Corona

MARCOS

Sen. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr

Honoring the Supreme Court

MANILA, Philippines – The neophyte senator is a staunch critic of both the Arroyo and Aquino administrations. Ironically, the son of former President Marcos describes President Aquino’s anti-Corona campaign as a form of dictatorship.

While Marcos has not voiced explicit views on the accusations against the impeached Chief Justice, his mother, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, voted against the impeachment complaint filed against  him.

The only son of former President Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos, Sen. Marcos  continues to defend his father’s imposition of martial law. He has told reporters that indicators like poverty rate, the Philippines’ international status, and the government’s financial situation during his father’s regime show that the country had better days then.

Marcos said his father’s name helps him in politics. “I have been benefiting from the good will of my father …. I am so lucky that many still remember and love him.”

The solicitor general under the Marcos regime is Estelito Mendoza. A  former lawyer of the Marcoses, Mendoza is the legal counsel of the Philippine Airlines and the 16 municipalities whose conversion into cityhood was criticized as unconstitutional. Mendoza wrote the SC to have both cases reopened even after the high court ruled on these with finality. These cases are cited in the impeachment complaint against Corona.

Age: 54

Education: BA Political Science, Philosophy and Economics, Oxford University; Masters in Business Administration, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania

Professional background: His career has been in politics. He served as representative of Ilocos Norte’s district for 9 years and then governor of the province for another 9 years. He ran for the Senate in 1995 but lost.

Current term: 2010-2016

Eligible for reelection? Yes, in 2016. He is currently serving his first Senate term. 

Political party: Nacionalista Party (NP)

Senate bloc:

Sen. Marcos is part of the NP bloc of Villar, which include senators Miriam Defensor Santiago, Joker Arroyo, Loren Legarda, Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano.

Position aired or published on Corona or on issues related to the Articles of Impeachment:

Marcos criticized the Aquino administration for defying the TRO that the SC issued favoring Mrs Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was quoted  as saying, “It is a dismay to see that orders of the Supreme Court are no longer respected or followed. This strikes at the very heart of our legal system and if the president and his alter ego … choose not to follow the SC then that is a very serious blow to the separation and equality of the different departments of government.”

Marcos also disagreed with the administration’s decision to bar Arroyo from traveling abroad, saying there are legal remedies to bring her back to the country if she escapes.

He called the administration’s handling of the Arroyo case “a bit of a mess” and said it should have filed cases against her early on. “The administration is and has been getting very personal. Kasama na rin kami doon (That also applies to our family).”

Marcos slammed President Aquino’s criticism of the Supreme Court, calling it “the flavor of the month excuse for the shortcomings of this administration.”

He told GMA News, “The problem with blaming or needing scapegoats is if say, the CJ is successfully removed from his office, does that make this administration any more competent than it is?”

Asked about Corona’s criticism of Aquino as a dictator, Marcos said, “I don’t know what the definition of dictatorship is but it would seem to be an attempt of the President to remove the co-equal status of the branches of government and make the executive more equal than others, which violates all the democratic principles we enshrined in our constitution.”  – Rappler.com

Sources: Senate website, Website of Sen. Marcos, press statements of Sen. Marcos, Newsbreak, Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Yahoo News

 

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