Martial Law victims disgusted over Imelda as 2nd richest solon

By SELDA
May 7, 2012

QUEZON CITY  –  Martial law survivors were enraged and aghast at Imelda’s occupying the second richest seat in the Philippine Congress.  “Her being one of the richest among those who wield power in Philippine politics even after the dictator was deposed only affirm what we have been saying and fought for during the dark dictatorship years – that the Marcoses used their position to amass wealth,” said Angie Ipong, SELDA secretary general.

Saying that it is the height of impudence to be flaunting her supposed wealth that the courts have ruled came from “illegal provenance” and being used to buy her hold on power in this screwed political system in the country, members of SELDA said that the practice of political accommodation must stop and the victims who suffered must be given due recognition and indemnification.

“We are very insulted with Imelda’s flaunting of her ‘wealth,’ while Martial Law victims are denied of justice and indemnification,” SELDA secretary general Angie Ipong said who, together with other victims of Martial Law will troop to the Senate when it resumes session on Monday.

News reports said Imelda Marcos’ declared worth rose last year because of assets that had been surrendered to the government by Marcos cronies.

SELDA lambasted the Marcos family who said they will still recover their so-called “wealth.” Both the government and the Marcoses are contesting the recovered assets.

“The nerve! How did she or her family gain such wealth, if not by looting from the coffers of a country they once led and violated?  And she still has the gall to flaunt HER SUPPOSED WEALTH!” a visibly disgusted Trinidad Herrera, Martial Law victim and current board member of SELDA declared.

The Marcos Victims Compensation Bill has been pending for approval since the 10th Congress in 1998. It has not been passed into law after three presidents.

“We continually remind President Aquino that it was not only his father and family who suffered during Martial Law. Thousands of Filipinos experienced a much worse plight, and they continue to endure the pain and scars of that dark period,” Herrera said.

Ipong also said, “We remain vigilant against those responsible for the massive human rights violations of that time as they persistently remain unapologetic, unaccountable and worse remain in power because they continue to hang on to the wealth they obviously stole from the Filipino people and use to stay in power.”

The Lower House signed its version, House Bill 5990, in March of this year. The Senate version, Senate Bill 2615, remains at the Technical Working Group in the Committee on Justice.