Imee: 'Itim' ad was Sara Duterte's idea

Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday explained her latest political advertisement with Vice President Sara Duterte, saying this was released because the administration of her brother, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is "threading the wrong path."

In a virtual press conference with reporters, Imee also disclosed that it was Duterte who came up with the theme of the political advertisement.

"Sa totoo lang biglaan na lang kami. Pareho kami nakalimot na may kampanya pala... Siya ang nagpupumiglas na kinakailangang itim... Itim ay simbolo na 'Ipaglaban ang Tama, Itama ang Mali,'" Imee said.

(It was spontaneous. We both forgot that there was a campaign. She wanted it to be "black" to symbolize that the wrong should be corrected.)

"Totoo nga naman. Parang 'di naman angkop na magsayaw-sayaw, di naman tama na magmomotor, wala na sa lugar sa panahon na ito na napakahirap ng dinadanas ng ating mga mamamayan," she added.

(It's true. It seems like it's not appropriate to dance or to ride in a motorcade while the public is suffering.)

'Snake pit'

Imee justified her decision to push through with the theme of her campaign material even if this appears to be a hit to her brother's administration, noting that she has been criticizing these unaddressed problems in the country even before her brother became President.

"Hindi ito bago at siguro maintinidhan na lamang ako na 'di na tama ang landas ng administrasyon. Nanghihinayang talaga ako, para sa akin malaking trahedya sa akin ito," the reelectionist senator said.

(This is not new, and maybe I just realized that the administration is no longer on the right path. I really regret it. For me, this is a great tragedy.)

"Talagang marami nang tuloy-tuloy na kamalian. 'Di ko maintindihan sino talaga ang nag-aadvise…Malakanyang is a snakepit... Sana, pinagdarasal ko lagi ang aking kapatid na mabalik sa tamang landas," she added.

(There are continued mistakes. I don't understand who is really giving advice... Malacañang is a snake pit... I always pray for my brother to get back on the right path.)

Imee also admitted that she is also hurt and saddened by how things turned out with her brother.

"'Di naman masaya na ganon, na may humahadlang, na may mga harang, na hindi na kami nakakapag-usap nang maayos at kung tutuusin, pamilya pa rin kami pulitika lang ito," she said.

(I'm not happy with how things turned out, with someone getting in the way, with barriers, with us not being able to communicate properly, and after all, we're still a family, this is just politics.)

"Malungkot ako dito, hindi ko pinagmamalaki itong mga pangyayari. Sana nabigyan ng solusyon."

(I'm sad about this, I'm not proud of these events. I hope a solution is found.)

GMA News Online sought Palace's comment on Imee's remarks, but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

File photo: REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Disagreements

Imee admitted that she had disagreements with the Vice President, especially when Sara said that she would dig up the grave of her father, late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., and throw it into the West Philippine Sea.

Despite this, Imee said she eventually "blamed" herself because she was the one who convinced Sara to run as vice president of President Bongbong Marcos.

"'Di ko naman akalain na hahantong sa ganto. Grabe naman 'to," she said.

(I never thought it would end like this. This is terrible.)

On the risk of losing the votes of the supporters of the administration, Imee said she just chose "what is right."

"Kapag labag sa batas, 'di tayo pwedeng sumang-ayon... 'Di naman pulitika at kampanya ang pinakamahalagang bagay sa ating buhay. Ang importante manindigan. Pangatawan ang tama, marami nang mali," she said.

(If it's against the law, we should not support it... Politics and campaigns aren't the most important things in our lives. What's important is to stand up and represent what's right, as there are already so many wrongs.)

To recall, Imee was part of the administration's senatorial ticket called Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. But the reelectionist senator officially left the administration slate on March 26 after she led the Senate investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte-- Sara's father. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
 

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