While there is no need for an apology, former Sen. Bongbong Marcos should at least acknowledge the atrocities committed during his father's dictatorship, Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said Tuesday.
Dela Rosa, who is running for president against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' only son and namesake, said that should he find himself in a similar situation, he would apologize on behalf of his father.
"Fair lang dapat ang treatment natin. Kasalanan ng ama, hindi kasalanan ng anak," he said.
"Pero kung nangyari sa akin yan, nagkasala ang tatay ko, wala namang problema kung mag-apologize ako, madali lang naman yan gawin," he added.
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Dela Rosa was asked about his stand on Marcos Jr. in an interview with ANC.
"Siguro i-acknowledge niya kung merong mga kamalian na nagawa ng kanyang tatay. But hindi siya mag-apologize doon sa nagawa ng tatay niya," Dela Rosa said.
"Pero kung mag-sorry, apologize for the mistakes of his dad? Kawawa naman," he added.
Dela Rosa said it's "fair enough" for Bongbong to at least recognize the ill-gotten wealth that has been linked to the Marcos family, which the Presidential Commission on Good Government estimated to be around $10 billion.
He said the Marcos family should return this money to the Filipino people, if indeed it belongs to the public.
Public interest in the Marcos family's ill-gotten wealth and human rights violations was reignited after Bongbong Marcos filed his candidacy for president in the 2022 elections. He said he wanted to unify the country towards pandemic recovery.
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.
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