Bongbong Marcos claims benefitting from parents’ ‘goodwill’

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday claimed that the strong support he is getting for his vice presidential bid is partly due to the “goodwill” and “good works” of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as well as his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

“As I told my mother, I said it is remarkable how deep, how profound the goodwill you and dad left behind and that I am the beneficiary of that good will. I am the beneficiary of your good work,” the younger Marcos said in a speech at a gathering of Ilocano supporters at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.

Marcos took a swipe at his critics for always raising the issue that he is the son of the late dictator as well as his alleged involvement in corruption during the Martial Law era.

“There are certain quarters that have chosen to vehemently and with venom criticize me, my family, my history and all,” Marcos said.

“But I take solace in what [British prime minister Winston] Churchill said when he said ‘if you have no enemies you have done nothing’. So at least we have done something,” he added.

Marcos said the support he is getting from various groups and the favorable ratings in recent pre-election surveys show that the core message of his campaign, which is national unity, is accepted by majority of Filipinos who are getting tired of divisive and vindictive politics.

Marcos has topped the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia pre-election regular surveys for the vice presidential post.

However, in the latest SWS mobile survey released over the weekend, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo has overtaken Marcos with 30 percent preference votes as compared to the latter’s 27 percent and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s 25 percent.

Asked for comment on the mobile survey, Marcos said: “I just carry on with my plans and I’m going around talking to our leaders”.

It was on February 25, 1986, that Marcos and his family fled the country to seek exile in Hawaii at the height of the EDSA People Power Revolution that denounced his father’s administration.

Three years later, the former President died in Honolulu. In 1992, the rest of the Marcos family returned to the Philippines from exile.

The younger Marcos ran in the 1992 elections and served as Congressman in the Second District of Ilocos Norte. Then for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2007, he served as governor of Ilocos Norte.

In 2007, Marcos won another congressional seat and was appointed Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. In 2010, he won the senatorial race, placing 7th overall. — BAP, GMA News