Battle Looming in The Philippines

[Guest fountainhall]

An intriguing battle is on the horizon in The Philippines. The son of recently-deceased former President, Corazon Aquino, has agreed to run in the next Presidential election when, it seems certain, he will be pitted against 'Bong Bong' Marcos, the son of his father's killer, former President Ferdinand Marcos, and his songstress, shoe-laden wife, Imelda. The dictator Ferdinand did not of course fire the gun which killed Ninoy Aquino, but the murder was certainly carried out on his instructions.

 

Marcos has loads of charisma and his family's looted millions (billions?) behind him. Aquino, from a mega-rich clan, seems a much more retiring character, but has popular support from the poor who regard his mother virtually as a saint. This could become interesting!

[Guest]

This is very interesting. Thanks for giving us a heads up on this. My long term BF in USA was from the Philippines. I'm going to ask him take on this as well.

[Guest tdperhs]

I was living in Taipei during the mid-sixties when F. Marcos ran for his first term as President. There was quite a large Pinoy community there and I enjoyed the friendship of many. As part of his campaign, it was put about to his voters that he had been awarded the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor during WWII. The story was that he had been on the Bataan death march but managed to break free and make to the cover of the forest. Japanese guards then singled out three American prisoners and threatened to execute them if he did not return. He gave himself up and endured a serious beating.

 

The problem with that was that he had not received the medal of honor, there is no record of his being on the death march, and there is no record of his involvement with any of the U.S. military actions.

 

But, the story won him a lot of votes.

[Gaybutton]

But, the story won him a lot of votes.

Maybe he got that idea from the story about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree.

[Guest fountainhall]

The problem with that was that he had not received the medal of honor, there is no record of his being on the death march, and there is no record of his involvement with any of the U.S. military actions

 

The man became a dictator. Like many dictators, rewriting history helped get him elected. What amazes me is that his wife remains at liberty. It is well-known that the pair murdered Aquino and countless others. They even kidnapped their son-in-law when their daughter got married to a man of whom they did not approve. They also looted much of the nation's wealth. I know of several stories - told first hand - about the gifts that Imelda liberally handed out. A certain tenor was one of her favourites. Whenever he wanted a private jet in the US, one of Imelda's "blue ladies" was instructed to make sure one was provided.

[Guest]

Out of curiosity, has her current wealth ever been determined? Do the people of that country not remember what the family did to them?

[Guest fountainhall]

Not sure of how much of her assets are declared, but there is a vast amount that remains hidden, despite endless government attempts to trace them. Of course, the dear Lady has pleaded poverty at every turn and claims that her ability to survive depends on handouts from her many friends. Naturally, we all remember how she said the poor were her real friends and how she brought beauty and glamour (but not bread) into their lives - yet, all the time she was hauling in cash in kick-backs and handing out monster gifts to her real friends.

 

She showed her real feelings about the poor when she started up the Manila Film Festival. Construction of a brand new film complex near 'her' Philippine Plaza Hotel was rushed to have it completed in time. Corruption and faulty design resulted a serious accident with the loss of many lives. Did Imelda care? Of course she did! She cared that her friends, the Hollywood 'B' list like George Hamilton, would be inconvenienced, and so no time was available to dig out the bodies. They lay buried where they died, rotting in the new concrete as work raced around the clock to complete the complex in time. This from one Philippine website -

 

On November 17, 1981, a scaffolding or floor collapsed during the construction and many workers fell into the wreckage. Due to the rush to beat the deadline, cement was poured over the mess, entombing the workers. By some accounts, up to 169 workers were supposedly buried in the Center. The story of the accident was killed by the Marcos Government

 

I fail to understand the thinking of the average Filpino. Clearly some loathe her, but even today there are millions who regard her with warmth for 'protecting' them. Is it, I wonder, because desperate poverty is so rife that they fall for crooks? Just look at the election of the actor Joseph Estrada - booted out and now in jail - as President! Filipinas certainly seem to be wowed by the glamour factor.

[Rogie]

Do the people of that country not remember what the family did to them?

 

Thank you for your very considered answer Fountainhall. I had no idea of the level of depravity to which this woman allowed herself to sink. Thank God the Philippines was/is a poor country; just think what she could have 'achieved' had she had the wealth of some western countries. I need not mention the names of certain war criminals that this loathsome woman conjures up in my mind. She is the personification of EVIL.