Student organizations, sororities, fraternities, and youth groups from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and Manila campus have united to oppose former senator and son of ousted dictator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s presidential bid for the 2022 Elections.
They asserted that Marcos “has no significant achievements on his own ” and has relied only on the “so-called accomplishments” of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to support his political career.
The youth groups claimed that “the power-hungry Marcos family will always jump at any opportunity to reclaim authority.”
The League of Filipino Students-CSSP(LFS-CSSP) strongly asserts history has proven the Marcoses’ theft from the people’s money. They contend that the Marcoses and their ilks must never be given a platform to amplify their political power.
“Tanging kakapalan lang ng mukha at pribilehiyo ng impunidad and nagtulak kay Bongbong na pangarapin ang pagkapangulo,” YMAT-UP added.
In the Vice Presidential vote counts of the last 2016 elections, Bongbong has continuously contested the outcome, publicizing his two-time loss against incumbent VP Leni Robredo. The first was during the official elections, followed by Marcos’ second attempt to recount the official election’s results.
Robredo was previously nominated by 1SAMBAYAN as its presidential candidate last October 1, Friday. She is set to announce her “important decision” on October 7, Thursday.
Meanwhile, Marcos was nominated as the presidential standard bearer of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan on September 24. Marcos announced he will run for the presidency under Partido Federal ng Pilipinas last October 5, Tuesday.
“Bukod sa kanilang tangkang baliin ang katotohanan sa kasaysayan, tinatanggi nila ang patong-patong na pananagutan ng pamilyang Marcos sa mga biktima nilang tinortyur at pinaslang; gayundin ang pagpapawalang-sala sa nakulimbat nilang salapi ng bayan,” a joint statement of political parties from UP Diliman assert.
Various groups also compared the atrocities of the Duterte regime, likening both dictators, citing President Duterte’s countless human rights violations, killings, and negligence in responding to the pandemic.
“Amid a pandemic that punishes the Filipino people in almost all aspects, Duterte was only keen on spreading fear and terror through militarization instead of providing appropriate measures and medical solutions,” the joint statement further demanded.
Teacher’s group CONTEND UP-Diliman also released a statement saying that “The Marcos years saw the intersection of the worse economic downfall in Philippine history and the most brazen forms of state terrorism. Unfortunately, we see history repeating under Duterte. We say never forget, never again to Martial Law.”
Meanwhile, history students’ organization UP LIKAS said that “Kung napatalsik natin ang diktador noong 1986, at noong 2016 ay hindi natin pinayagan na mahalal bilang pangalawang pangulo ng Pilipinas ang anak ng diktador, sa darating na halalan sa 2022.” Frustrating Marcos Jr’s run would mean that the Filipino people would not approve of their return in Malacañang.
News of Bongbong Marcos’ declaration to run as president resurfaced unresolved corruption and human rights issues under his father’s rule and their continued hold of Ilocos Norte since his father’s ouster.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division has recently mandated the Royal Traders Holding Co. to pay the Philippine government the number of recovered bank certificates from the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth. At present, around P174 billion has been retrieved by the Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG).
Meanwhile, Imelda Marcos still runs free even after being found guilty over 7 graft cases in 2018. Likewise, President Duterte has been flagged and will be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) because of his bloody war on drugs and other murders instigated by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) during his term as Davao mayor.
The Duterte administration has also incurred over P11.6 trillion worth of debt, and is projected to increase to a massive P13.42 trillion come 2022.
Youth groups assert the countless sacrifices of the students’ movements which have successfully ousted the former dictator from his seat of power, expressing their strong opposition to both the Marcoses’ and Dutertes’ agenda to stay in power.
The younger generation is set and ready to make the Marcoses pay for the injustices they have inflicted on numerous Filipinos. In 2017, youth groups and ordinary citizens massively protested the dictator Marcos’ thiefly burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
“We must contend that a position in office is not a family heirloom but rather a call to serve the people,” the groups concluded.
Human rights group Amnesty International recorded around 70,000 imprisoned, 35,000 tortured, and 3,200 killed by state forces from 1972 to 1981. Data also shows the country’s debt ballooned to $26-billion in 1986 or a 6,000% increase since 1966.
Critics say that Marcos is an accomplice of his father’s crime during the Martial Law.
#NoDuterteMarcos2022
#NeverAgain
Featured image courtesy of Interaksyon.
