Philippine martial law victims challenge ‘Bongbong’ Marcos’ presidential bid
- Activists who were jailed, abused and tortured under the late dictator fear his son will ‘whitewash history’ if elected
- Some are also concerned that Marcos Jnr would make it harder for victims to seek compensation
At least 18 petitioners also expressed fears that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr would make it hard for victims of his father’s dictatorship, who have not been compensated like thousands of others under reparation arrangements, to seek claims.
Marcos Jnr‘s camp has called the effort “propaganda” and vowed to address “this predictable nuisance” although it has not publicly issued a detailed reply. The issue, which should be resolved by elections commissioners before the May 9 vote, could spark a legal battle that could go all the way to the Supreme Court.
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Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, son of the late Philippine dictator, joins 2022 presidential race
The martial law victims said that Marcos Jnr “would render difficult, if not impossible, any unclaimed human rights reparations” and “the recovery of the bulk of the ill-gotten wealth plundered by the Marcoses and their cronies”.