DAVAO CITY, Philippines — As far as Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is concerned, the issues and problems involving the 1986 EDSA people power have already been resolved and done with.
“The EDSA issues are already non-issues today. The problems of EDSA are no longer problems today,” Marcos told reporters when he arrived here for a short sortie over the weekend.
Marcos said it is already time to move on and not to talk about the administration of his late father, who was ousted by a people power revolution in 1986.
“The government of my father ended in 1986. We do not talk about it anymore. What we need to discuss is what we should do today. We should move on,” said Marcos, who is running for senator under the Nacionalista Party in the 2010 elections.
“I am proud to bear my father’s name,” Marcos further said.
In fact, he said, that people would always approach him in his sorties telling him how good things in the country were during his father’s administration.
“Anywhere I go people would always tell me that things were a lot better during my father’s time. They tell me that peace and order and security situation was much better during my father’s time. They said education and infrastructure program was much better during my father’s time,” Marcos said.
He said his campaign would not be targeting those anti or pro Marcos.
“It has nothing to do with anti or pro-Marcos. I am appealing to all Filipinos regardless if they are for Marcos or not. My father is not the issue here. I do not have to campaign to get those they call anti-Marcos groups,” Marcos stressed.
‘Make Arroyos answerable’
Another senatorial candidate vowed to make President Arroyo answerable for her administration’s alleged excesses if he is given the chance to serve.
“That would be one of my (priority resolutions) in the Senate. I hope we’ll be able to make it despite our limited resources to wage of (nationwide) campaign,” said Alex Lacson, who’s running under Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s Liberal Party
Speaking before a group of Christian businessmen in northern Luzon, Lacson said Mrs. Arroyo must be held responsible for all the corruption committed by her administration.
“From my own personal view, she committed much corruption and blunders during her nine-year reign and we are duty-bound to expose them and make her answerable to it,” he said.
Lacson said his priority if elected senator is to file a resolution calling for an inquiry over the perceived corruption and other scams committed during Mrs. Arroyo’s term.
“It’s easy to gather evidence. We already have the documents at both Houses (of Congress) and other government institutions. It’s just a matter of pursuing them to the end,” he said.
Lacson said the conduct of previous congressional inquiries about scams and corruption committed by officials in the government, including the First Family, was nothing but propaganda.
He said no one was prosecuted or convicted in court from these congressional investigations, including the aborted NBN-ZTE deal, fertilizer scam and road user’s tax collections.
“Corruption and blunders are the greatest cancers that slowly kill our country. The thieves and corrupt leaders are the worst enemies of the Filipinos today,” Lacson said, stressing that at least 40 percent of the national budget is wasted in corruption. – With Charlie Lagasca