Help in exposing corruption, cruelty of Marcoses, De Lima tells Filipinos

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the Filipino people to not waver in exposing the corruption and cruelty during the regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos to remind the citizenry that he is not a hero but a thief.

De Lima, a known human rights defender, made the statement during the second anniversary of the hero's burial for the late dictator whose remains lie at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

"Mailibing man nila ang diktador sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, patuloy nating ihayag at ilimbag sa pahina ng kasaysayan ang katiwalian at kalupitan ng kanyang rehimen," she said.

"Tayo mismo ang magmulat sa marami nating kababayan, lalo na sa mga kabataan sa kung ano ang totoo: Napakalaki ng pagkakaiba ng mga bayaning nag-alay ng buhay at nagmalasakit sa bayan, sa diktador na nag-udyok ng mga pagpatay, at nagdulot ng pasakit at kalunos-lunos na pagdurusa sa napakaraming Pilipino," she added.

Marcos was allowed to be transferred at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani on Nov. 18, 2016 upon the go signal given by Duterte, a known ally of the Marcoses, who cited the Supreme Court's ruling on its legality as his basis in making such decision.

Marcos, whose regime was marked by rampant human rights abuses, died in 1989 while in exile. He fled with his family to the US after a people's uprising ended his 20-year rule in 1986.

Despite efforts by the Duterte administration to cover up the crimes committed by the Marcoses to the Filipinos, De Lima said the truth will come out in time while justice catch up with the Marcos family.

"Ang patraydor na paglilibing na ito ay isa ring malinaw na pagtatangka na ibaon sa hukay ang tunay na kasaysayan--ang katiwalian at ang kawalang katarungang namayagpag sa diktadurya," she said.

"Kasaysayan itong pilit na binubura, binabaligtad, at pinagtatakpan para mas madali tayong makalimot at nang makabalik sa poder ang mga ganid sa yaman at kapangyarihan," she added.

The Senator from Bicol said that the recent conviction of former First Lady and current Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos by the Sandiganbayan on seven counts of graft is a clear proof that "nagnakaw ang mga Marcos."

"Makaisip [man] ng napakaraming dahilan para hindi makulong [si Imelda], dapat ituwid ang sistemang pangkatarungan na nananatiling hindi patas sa mahihirap at kumikiling sa mga makapangyarihan," she said.

"Hindi makatwiran na ang mga inosente ay nasa piitan, habang ang nahatulang guilty ay nagagawa pang makipag-party. Walang hustisya sa inuusig at ginigipit na tapat na lingkod-bayan samantalang nananatiling malaya ang mandarambong na nagkamal ng bilyon-bilyong piso mula sa kaban ng bayan," she added.

Two weeks after the Sandiganbayan 5th Division found the Marcoses' matriarch guilty on seven counts of graft for using her Cabinet position to maintain Swiss bank accounts during their family's rule, the same court allowed her to post bail while it decides on her "motion for leave of court to avail of post-conviction remedies."