Poe: Bongbong can't be forced to acknowledge Martial Law atrocities

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. cannot be compelled to acknowledge—much more apologize for—the atrocities committed during Martial Law, Senator Grace Poe said.

During a sortie in Baguio City on Tuesday, Poe said only Marcos can tell if there is a need for him to say sorry to the human rights victims who suffered under the term of his father, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

“Siya (Sen. Marcos) lang ang makakasagot noon, hindi natin siya puwedeng pilitin,” Poe told reporters when asked if she feels her colleague should acknowledge and apologize for the abuses committed by the government during Martial Law.

“Sapagkat kung gagawin niya iyon for political expediency lamang, pero hindi naman niya pinapaniwalaan, ang importante ay ano ba talaga ang kanyang paninidigan ukol dito— nangyari ba ito o hindi nangyari?” she added.

For Poe, asking for forgiveness must be done willingly by a person who has acknowledged that he has made a mistake.

“Basta ang paghingi ng tawad ay dapat kusang loob para sa akin. Kung naniniwala kang may pagkakamali, hingian mo ng tawad. Kung sa tingin mo wala hindi ka naman dapat, hindi mo talaga mapipilit ang tao tungkol doon,” she said.

Marcos, who is now running for vice president, has been adamant against issuing any apology over Martial Law. He said he does not feel obliged to say sorry for atrocities committed during past administrations.

The older Marcos declared martial law in 1972 during which many activists were allegedly killed or abducted, while several others were allegedly raped or abused.

In a statement Wednesday, Poe said the next administration should fight to free the country from hunger, poverty, lack of education, denial of access to information and curtailment of human rights.

She vowed to continue the spirit of Edsa and fight alongside every Filipino should she become the next president.

Poe’s running mate, Senator Francis Escudero, meanwhile, said it is important for the country to remember both the positive and negative things that happened during Martial Law.

“Let us promote and uphold the beautiful lessons learned from it, notably the grassroots participation in governance and the people-center policies. Let us try to correct the bizarre components, error and mistake committed along the way of our long difficult and complicated quest to build a better, more compassionate, and more inclusive society and nation for all Filipino people,” he said in a separate statement. —KBK, GMA News