New Philippine President Marcos Jr. praises dictator father throughout inauguration tackle

June 30, 2022

Marcos Jr., often known as “Bongbong” within the Philippines, gained a landslide in Could 9 elections on a platform of nationwide unity and a promise of extra jobs, decrease costs and extra funding in agriculture and infrastructure.

However critics say his rise to energy was the fruits of a decades-long try and rebrand the Marcos household’s identify and picture, most lately via a supercharged social media marketing campaign.

Marcos Jr., 64, is the son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose 21-year kleptocratic rule of the nation from 1965 to 1986 was marked by human rights abuses, widespread corruption, and plunder of the state coffers.

The previous senator and congressman took his oath of workplace on the Nationwide Museum of Superb Arts within the capital Manila earlier than Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, based on CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.

In his inauguration speech, Marcos Jr. stated his “name for unity” resonated with the folks to “ship the most important electoral mandate within the historical past of Philippine democracy.”

“It is a historic second for us all,” he stated. “You picked me to be your servant, to allow modifications to profit all. I totally perceive the gravity of accountability you placed on my shoulders. I don’t take it frivolously however I’m prepared for the duty.”

Marcos Jr. thanked his mom, the 92-year-old former first girl Imelda Marcos, who attended the ceremony. He additionally praised his father, the late dictator, in his speech.

“I as soon as knew a person who noticed what little had been achieved since independence. In a land of individuals with the best potential for achievement, and but they have been poor. However he acquired it accomplished. Generally with wanted help, typically with out. So will it’s together with his son — you’ll get no excuses from me,” he stated.

Marcos Jr. spoke of therapeutic divisions within the nation, promised to develop the financial system, recuperate from the pandemic and lead a extra unified, affluent nation.

“I’m right here to not discuss in regards to the previous, I’m right here to let you know about our future. A way forward for sufficiency, even a lot, of available methods and means to get accomplished what wants doing,” he stated. “I’ll get it accomplished.”

Activist teams deliberate to protest the inauguration in Manila, calling for accountability for alleged crimes dedicated beneath the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, CNN Philippines reported.

On Tuesday, Marcos Jr. survived a last-ditch try and disqualify him when the Supreme Court docket unanimously dominated towards two petitions in search of to cancel his candidacy for alleged tax offenses, based on CNN Philippines.

Marcos gained the election with 31.6 million votes, or 58.77% of ballots forged — a margin not seen in a long time — and replaces outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

His working mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, the previous President’s daughter, was sworn in as vp on June 19, and they’ll serve till 2028.

Household legacy

Marcos Jr. had beforehand requested the world to evaluate him by his actions, not by his household’s previous. However his election marketing campaign was dominated by his father’s legacy, together with the slogan “rise once more” tapping into the nostalgia of some who noticed the interval beneath Marcos Sr. as a golden period for the nation.

His father’s corrupt and brutal rule of the Philippines was bolstered by virtually a decade of martial legislation from 1972 to 1981. Throughout that point, tens of hundreds of individuals have been imprisoned, tortured or killed for perceived or actual criticism of the federal government, based on human rights teams.

The Presidential Fee on Good Governance (PCGG), tasked with recovering the household’s ill-gotten wealth, estimates about $10 billion was stolen from the Filipino folks.

The Marcos household has repeatedly denied abuses beneath martial legislation and utilizing state funds for his or her private use. Campaigners say the Marcoses have been by no means held totally accountable and victims of martial legislation are nonetheless preventing for justice.

Critics of Marcos Jr. see his rise to the presidency as a whitewashing of Philippine historical past and an try by the Marcos household to rewrite the abuses and corruption dedicated throughout his father’s dictatorship.

Outgoing Duterte

Marcos Jr.’s inauguration marks the top of a six-year time period for Duterte, whose bloody legacy is tied to a nationwide crackdown on medication that has claimed the lives of greater than 6,000 folks, based on police.

Duterte’s administration focused civil society and the media — slapping tax evasion costs on native, impartial media retailers that challenged the federal government’s insurance policies and claims, and arresting editors. On Tuesday, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa stated the federal government had ordered her information group Rappler to close down.

Outspoken Duterte was additionally recognized for a historical past of disparaging remarks, together with misogynistic feedback about ladies, the Catholic Church, and world leaders.

Some worry Marcos Jr. will proceed down Duterte’s path and that disinformation will additional obscure the reality, making it tougher to carry these in energy accountable.

Regardless of his document on human rights and the Covid-19 pandemic, which worsened the nation’s starvation disaster, Duterte remained massively fashionable domestically.

Supporters anticipate Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio to proceed Duterte’s insurance policies on infrastructure and his controversial “battle on medication.”

CNN’s Mayumi Maruyama and Alice Barnard contributed.