If Martial Law victims hope to hear an apology from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the alleged human rights violations committed during the reign of his father and namesake, they will feel disappointed.
When asked during the 50th anniversary of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines Presidential Forum, President Marcos revealed that he considers the matter as 'a personal matter for the Marcos Family'.
The Chief Executive added that his role as the top leader of the Philippines outweighs his role as a member of the Marcos Family.
"I don’t think it is a duty for President to be involved. That is a personal matter for the Marcos family," President Marcos told reporters during the event last Monday, April 15 in the Manila Hotel.
"The role of the President is more important right now than my role as a member of the Marcos family. So I think that’s my first priority," he added.
The Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission recognizes 11,103 human rights victims during the imposition of Martial Law by the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from 1972 to 1986.
However, based on the records of Amnesty International, at least 3,200 people died, 70,000 got incarcerated, and 34,000 became victims of torture during those years.
