Sen. Imee Marcos on Saturday urged the public to focus their attention on helping the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic instead of reviving the issues on her father's dictatorship, which she said was "one million years ago."
Public interest on the Marcos ill-gotten wealth and human rights violations during the martial law years grew as Imee's brother, former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, filed his candidacy for president in the 2022 elections.
"Hindi ko nga maintindihan. Yung mga issue ng tatay ko na one million years ago, nauungkat," Imee said in an interview on DWIZ.
"But I really think we need to look to the future. [We have] so many really serious problems that confront us. We better have a blueprint for the real new normal in the Philippines very, very soon," she added.
Imee was also asked about her fellow senator Manny Pacquiao's position on her family's ill-gotten wealth, which he said they should return to the Filipino people. The boxer-turned-politician would be facing off with Bongbong in next year's presidential race.
While she said she was baffled that her father's name was continually being dragged in the present, Imee said it's essential for people to learn from the past.
"Naririnig ko nga na nasa debate pa rin yung panahon ng tatay ko. Mabuti naman na matututo sa mga nakaraan. Pero nandito na tayo. Alamin na natin kung ano ang gagawin para sa ngayon at sa hinaharap. Kung hindi pa tayo natututo sa mga nakalipas, wala tayong kinabukasan," she said.
"Let us push and see what we can learn from what's happened in the past. Yung mga mali huwag nang uulitin. Yung magaganda naman, ituloy na," she added.
Bongbong is running for president with a vision of unifying the country towards pandemic recovery.
"I will bring that form of unifying leadership back to our country. Hangad kong ibalik ang mapagkaisang paglilingkod na magbubuklod sa ating bansa," he said as he announced his presidential bid earlier this month.
Victims of the Marcos martial law have opposed Bongbong's candidacy, saying it's like "spitting on the graves" of those who died during his family's rule.
MORE ON BONGBONG MARCOS:
How Bongbong Marcos is Riding the Strongman Template to Malacanang
Haters Gonna Hate, Bongbong for President Seeks to Revive Marcos Name
Those Marcos Videos on TikTok are Rooted in Decades of Misinformation
Dear Toni, We Didn't Live Through Marcos Years and Our Anger is Valid
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