By Beatrice Puente
(February 17, 2022) – Filipinos may be aware of the atrocities committed by the family of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos Jr. but these do not appear to resonate well with the public in part due to educational lapses, a political analyst said on Tuesday.
Prof. Edmund Tayao, executive director of the Local Government Development Foundation, said the country’s overall context must be considered in evaluating why many people don’t have a grasp of the controversial background of the Marcos family.
“I don’t think hindi naman nakita ng publiko ‘yan,” said Tayao on One News’ The Chiefs. “Why is it that it’s not resonating? It’s not just the campaign, not just the overall information dissemination. It’s the overall context, the overall equation.”
Civil society groups, including those founded by victims of Martial Law, have launched efforts to inform the public about the harsh situation under the dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. More than 3,000 people died and thousands more were abused in the gruesome period, according to Amnesty International.
But Marcos loyalists have continued to discredit the atrocities. Many of them even turn a blind eye to the family’s corrupt practices despite countless historical and court records proving that the Marcos family plundered the public coffers for decades.
Some P125 billion of these ill-gotten funds have yet to be returned by the Marcoses up to this point, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Government.
Marcos, the standard-bearer of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas in the 2022 elections, evaded his taxes while serving as governor of Ilocos Norte from 1982 to 1985. He was convicted for not filing his income taxes but was not ordered to serve any jail time in a decision issued by the Court of Appeals in 1997.
His mother, Imelda Marcos, was convicted by the Sandiganbayan of seven counts of graft and was sentenced to 42-year imprisonment. She posted a P300,000 bail and remains free.
Tayao said describing Marcos as “magnanakaw,” as what many critics call him, may not be as effective because of the country’s political setup which, in itself, is riddled with corruption.
“Kahit sabihin pa natin na ang quintessential na magnanakaw ay ‘yung kandidatong ayaw nila, maaari ba nating sabihin na merong isa man lang sa mga tumatakbong kandidato ‘yung talagang malinis na masasabi natin given the kind of setup we have?” said Tayao.
Despite the controversies, Marcos still enjoys a wide lead in surveys. Tayao said both the “Duterte factor” and divisive campaigns have played a role here. He noted that some people may be finding similarities between Marcos and President Rodrigo Duterte even if the tough-talking leader has yet to endorse anyone.
Tayao also advised candidates to present a clear platform that would help the voters decide, criticizing the vague approach of aspirants.
“If the different candidates are looking for a different formula they might want to consider coming up with more concrete proposals,” said Tayao.
(PM)
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