Imee Marcos files COC for senator

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Tuesday filed her certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2019 elections, saying she will be the voice of the local government units in the Senate. 

"Most of the candidates are incumbent senators, so I figured there should be a representative for the local government who will push for helping the farmers and bringing down food prices," Marcos said.

Gov. Imee Marcos, naghahain na rin ng kanyang COC sa pagka-senador. | via @VargasMannysen pic.twitter.com/OlFTbzJm6x

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 16, 2018

Among those who went to the Commission on Elections' main office in Intramuros, Manila, to support her were her brother, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and their mother, Ilocos Nortre Representative Imelda Marcos.

"Naniniwala tayo na malaki ang maitutulong natin sa bansa sa usapin ng ekonomiya lalo na ngayon na halos walang patid ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin," Imee said in a statement sent to the media prior to the filing.

"Inflation ang pangunahin nating problema sa kasalukuyan at nasasaktan lalo ang mahihirap dahilan sa 60% ng kanilang kita ay napupunta sa pagkain."

The daughter of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Imee is running under the Nacionalista Party. Her Senate bid has been endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Speaking to reporters after she filed her COC, Imee maintained that the Marcos family has nothing to apologize for in connection with her father's declaration of martial law that sent 70,000 to prison, tortured 34,000 and killed 3,000 others.

"How can we admit anything when we did not do it?" she said. 

Imee filed her COC on the same day Chel Diokno, whose father, former Senator Jose "Pepe" Diokno, was detained during Marcos' Martial Law, filed his COC.  —KBK, GMA News