Bongbong on ill-gotten wealth: ‘I cannot give what I do not have’

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Sunday said he could not return the ill-gotten wealth his family supposedly accumulated during the administration of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

"Sinasabi ibabalik ko daw kung ano ano. I cannot give what I do not have, I do not have control, I do not have any knowledge of any of the thing. Once again, let me repeat,  I cannot give what I do not have," the senator said during the vice presidential leg of the Pilipinas Debates 2016 at the University of Sto. Tomas.

The senator made the statement as he was urged by Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo that he should return his family's ill-gotten wealth.

"'Yung apology voluntarily given yun hindi natin puwedeng ipilit sa kanila, pero sa akin yung recognition ng maraming kamalian in the past kasali d'un yung hidden wealth na hindi pa rin natin nakukuha at yun ay nakaw yun sa taumbayan. Hindi yata natatama na i-a-acknowledge lang yun. Kailangang ibalik 'yun sa atin," she said.

Marcos said all questions and issues regarding his family's hidden wealth are part of the ongoing court proceedings.

"Sa korte kung anuman ang iuutos, kung anuman ang paghusga sa ganung mga issue ay susundan naman namin at maliwanag na maliwanag, hindi kami lumalabag sa order ng kahit anong court," he said.

Robredo said, however, that the Marcos family has yet to abide by the order of the US and Singapore courts to return the ill-gotten wealth.

"Sabi ni Sen. Marcos kung may judgement ang court susundin. Iyong US court at Singapore court ino-orderan sila na ibalik ang nakaw na yaman, hanggang ngayon hindi pa sinusunod," she said.

The senator branded Robredo's remark as politicking and turned the tables on the Liberal Party candidate saying it was the Aquino administration which is blocking the compensation on human rights claimants.

"Maliwanag na maliwanag na tayo talaga ay nasa kampanya. Siguro naman, abogado si Congresswoman Robredo, alam niya na hindi ang pamilya ko ang humahadlang sa pagbayad ng compensation sa human rights claimants. Ang humahadlang sa kaso na 'yan ay yung nasa gitna ng human rights claimants at gobyerno na pinangungunahan ng LP. Kaya ang Liberal Party ang humahadlang sa pagbayad ng human rights compensation," he said.

Robredo belied Marcos' claim, saying the government wanted the human rights victims to receive their compensation.

"Hindi po yan totoo. In fact, ang gobyerno, gustung gustong bayaran yung ating human rights victims pero kakaunti pa lang yung nako-cover ng judgement ng court, andami pa po nilang natatagong yaman at nakikita natin 'yan sa pamumuhay nila ngayon," she said.

The senator insisted that it the Aquino administration is blocking the compensation payment.

"Napakasimple lamang po, kung talagang ninanais ninyo na bayaran ang human rights claimants, bawiin ng gobyerno ang inyong claim at agad agad mababayaran ang human rights victims. Ang gobyerno ang humahadlang, ang Liberal Party ang humahadlang, hindi kami," he said.

‘Not honest’

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said human rights abuses happened "because of corruption, greed of power."

"Martial law, 20 years was not about peace and order, it was about keeping one family in Malacañang," he added.

"Si Senator Bongbong is not being honest with you. Dalawang administrasyon, kay Erap (Joseph Estrada) at GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) kaya sila kumampi para nga malakad yung kaso. One billion dollars pa ang pending sa court. Sila ang humahadlang na mapunta sa tao ang $1 billion," he said.

Marcos said he does not know what Cayetano was talking about.

"Kanina pa si Sen. Alan nag-iimbeto nang kung anu-ano. Tignan po ninyo kung ano ang kaso sa human rights compensation. Wala na ang pamilyang Marcos, hindi na kami nag-a-argue, hindi na po kami nagpapadala ng abogado sa kasong 'yan. Ang humahadlang sa pagbayad ng compensation ay gobyerno ng Pilipinas na pinangungunahan ng Liberal Party, 'yan ang katotohanan," he said.

Dare

Cayetano then challeged Marcos for a fact check.

"Kung ako ang nagsisinungaling hahamunin kita ngayon, fact check, kung mali ang sinabi ko, magwi-withdraw ako, pero 'pag ikaw mali, hindi lang mag-withdraw, isoli mo ang pera," he said.

While on the topic, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV asked Marcos on the alleged cards being distributed with a promise that money will be distributed once the latter wins.

"May mga cards na ibinibigay na lalagyan daw ng P5,000. Para lang maliwanangan yung mga kababayan natin, totoo ba ito na bibigyan sila ng P5,000 'pag binoto kayo?" Trillanes asked.

Marcos denied it saying it was a racket and unscrupulous people are just using his family's name.

"Raket po ito. Sinasabi nila na kapag sumama kayo sa isang grupo, kapag kayo ay nagbayad ng P200, kapag dumating ang panahon na ma-recover ang mga kayamanan ng mga Marcos, kayo ay bibigyan ng bahay at lupa, kayo ay bibigyan ng P1 milyon. 'Wag kayong maniwala dyan, hindi galing sa pamilya Marcos 'yan," he said.

"Sinasabi ko sa mga kaibigan na mayor, kaibigan na opisyal na dapat ipahuli yan. Wala pong kinalaman ang pamilya Marcos d'yan. Hindi pa nangyari sa  kasaysayan na humingi kami ng pera sa taumbayan," he added.  —ALG, GMA News