No Marcosian streak

Despite facing threats of being placed under detention, Gov. Imee Marcos braved attending the state of the nation address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte that was held at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City last Monday. With Congress-issued subpoena hanging over her head, Gov. Marcos appeared at the Batasan where a “special detention chamber” was prepared for her detention. 

Gov. Marcos was our featured guest in our weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Cafe Adriatico in Remedios Circle in Malate a day after she secured the release of six Ilocos Norte local government officials, dubbed as the “Ilocos 6.” For allegedly not being forthright in their respective testimonies under oath before a House public hearing, the “Ilocos 6” officials were detained for 59 days until they were finally released last Tuesday.

After her two no-shows at the congressional public hearings, a House subpoena was issued against Gov. Marcos under pain of detention if she insists to ignore their summons. So when she went and walked the red carpet at the Batasan lobby to attend the SONA, Gov. Marcos readied herself being detained later. She brought along a luggage of clothes and other personal stuff, including a reading lamp, just in case.

Gov. Marcos quipped at the thought of being detained, with obvious wry laughter of the fate that awaited her.

It would be the first time ever if she would be detained. The eldest daughter of the late president Ferdinand Marcos, along with the rest of the former first family were accused and charged in various courts here and abroad for various cases of alleged ill-gotten wealth and human rights violations. But none of these cases ironically sent to jail anyone of the Marcoses.

Along with six provincial government officials of Ilocos Norte, Gov. Marcos were implicated for alleged violations of Republic Act 7171, or the law mandating the collection and distribution of tobacco excise tax in the four Virginia tobacco-producing provinces. Gov. Marcos et.al. were questioned for alleged diversion of P66.4 million from the province’s share of the tobacco excise tax funds that were used to purchase buses and mini-trucks through cash advances instead of public biddings.

The public hearing was initiated by a provincemate of Gov. Marcos, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas who filed House Resolution 882 seeking inquiry by the House committee on good government to look into these allegations.

The “Ilocos 6” attended the House hearing but the governor first sent words she was “sick” and could not fly to Metro Manila. Summoned for the second time to appear at the House hearing, Gov. Marcos questioned her former House colleagues on the supposed “Investigation in aid of legislation” of these matters.

She was first elected in 1998 in the 11th Congress and served for three consecutive terms as representative of the second district of Ilocos Norte. Her mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos is the incumbent Congresswoman of their home district.

Instead of heeding the House summons, Gov. Marcos filed habeas corpus petitions for the release of the “Ilocos 6” before the Court of Appeals. One thing led to another that caused the House leadership row with the judicial branch of government.

With her CA petitions still pending, Gov. Marcos cheerfully announced in our Kapihan sa Manila Bay the “Ilocos 6” were finally released happily back to their respective homes in Laoag City. According to her, the “Ilocos 6” are now eating the favorite Ilocano dishes diningdeng and pinakbet  along with their families.

But their woes are far from over, Gov. Marcos rued, because the “Ilocos 6” would have to explain to the Civil Service Commission their almost two months of being absent from their respective provincial government posts. Moreover, the House committee set another public hearing on August 9 when Gov. Marcos and the “Ilocos 6” are required to attend anew.

Now on her third and last term as Governor of Ilocos Norte, Gov. Marcos commiserated with the “Ilocos 6” for becoming collateral damage of the local political squabbles.

In 2019, both Gov. Marcos and Fariñas will be constitutionally barred from seeking reelection in their current posts. However, Fariñas’ daughter Ria and Marcos’ son Matthew are incumbent provincial board members and rumored to be possible gubernatorial candidates.

Quoting popular lines from the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” Gov. Marcos described her desire to forge peace with their family’s political rivals, especially with Fariñas. “Ang layo layo pa ng eleksyon, sa totoo lang. Kung Game of Thrones, the North remembers. Wag naman sanang Winter is Coming. Nakaka-nerbyos naman yung ganun,” she admitted.

Turning 62 years old this November, Gov. Marcos just laughed off questions during our weekly Kapihan breakfast forum about her possible Senate run in the coming 2019 mid-term elections. For the moment, she disclosed, she is assisting brother ex-Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the latter’s protest pending before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET). He run but lost to former Camarines Sur Rep.Leni Robredo in the last year’s vice presidential elections.

Incidentally, Gov. Marcos announced ex-president Marcos is observing his 100th birth anniversary on Sept. 11 and their family is preparing simple commemoration program to mark this centennial event both in Ilocos Norte and at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. She echoed the wish the Supreme Court could rule with finality in their family’s favor the pending motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by anti-Marcos groups.

The anti-Marcos petitioners filed the MR to reverse the majority decision that upheld the decision of President Duterte to allow the burial of the waxed remains of late dictator at the Libingan.

President Duterte always credits Gov. Marcos as one of the two provincial governors who supported his presidential bid in the last May 10 presidential elections. She disclosed her family does not take offense to President Duterte’s official pronouncements: “Don’t compare me to Marcos” in defending his martial law declaration in Mindanao.

Gov. Marcos doused fears over President Duterte’s extension of martial law in Mindanao. Under the 1987 Constitution, she pointed out, it prevents him, or any president of the country for that matter, to stay in power longer than six years term in office. 

Although the late father of President Duterte served as Cabinet minister during the martial law regime, she sees no Marcosian streak on the former Davao City Mayor.