MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said he will oppose filing of criminal cases against the president and his Cabinet after they step down from office.
Marcos said if he wins as vice president in 2016 national polls, he will convince the next administration not to file criminal cases against President Benigno Aquino III and his secretaries as he also finds the process counter-productive.
"I would speak out strongly against it,” Marcos said in an interview with ANC.
“That kind of policy, look where it’s taken us: where the lives of ordinary Filipinos have not improved because we have conducted that policy. The unity of the country has been torn apart, and without that unity, we cannot move forward,” he said.
Marcos said uniting Filipinos is one of his priorities and so he is against the policy of allowing the executive department to go after its political enemies since it will result to disunity and polarization.
The senator said the executive department is tasked to build the nation and address the problems it is facing instead of digging into the enemies’ shortcomings.
“It cannot be the policy of government to do nothing but run after whoever their political enemies were before and to wreak some kind of vengeance on them,” Marcos said.
Marcos however clarified that the citizens or groups can still appeal to the court if they feel any former public official must be held liable for any offense.