By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Leni Robredo was dead set not to watch the video interview of her defeated rival former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with former senator Juan Ponce Enrile that presented a different version of history during martial law.
Vice President Leni Robredo graced the premiere of "Liway," an independent film about the experiences of the son of political prisoners during the Martial Law era, at the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) Film Center in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, September 21, 2018. During the event, VP Leni met the film's director Kip Oebanda and his mother, Cecilia "Liway" Flores-Oebanda, who were the subjects of the film. (Photo courtesy of OVP)
“Hindi ako maka-comment sa interview kasi hindi ko naman pinanood. Actually, wala akong balak panoorin (I can’t comment on the interview because I didn’t watch it. Actually, I don’t have any plan to watch it.),” Robredo, a human rights lawyer who has been every vocal against the return of authoritarian rule to the country, said.
The Vice President bared she has no interest to watch any part of the show "JPE: A Witness to History" that can be seen on Marcos’ social media accounts after she saw the excerpts of the interview in the news.
In the video, the ex-defense minister of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos claimed that only one was executed and none was arrested for political or religious beliefs during martial law.
Like the other critics who disputed his claim, Robredo voiced out her disapproval over Enrile’s recollection about Marcos-era martial law.
“Parang hindi siya makatotohanan. May nabasa akong portion na sinasabing walang mga naging biktima sa mga sumalungat kay pangulong Marcos . If at all, ito iyong ebidensya na hindi totoo iyong sinabi,” she said.
(It looks like his claims are not truthful. I've read a portion that says there was no victim for opposing then president Marcos. If at all, this is the evidence that what he said is not true.)
The Vice President cited her proof to contradict Enrile's claim through the film about the real-life story of commander Cecilia “Liway” Flores-Oebanda and her son Dakip during the martial law era.
Robredo, accompanied by her eldest daughter Aika, attended on Friday the premiere of the independent film Liway, directed by Kip Oebanda, at the University of the Philippine Film Institute Film Center in Quezon City.
"Napaka-powerful ng film, lalong-lalo na personal account siya,” she said. “Galing siya sa point of view ng isang dumaan sa karahasan (The film is very powerful, especially it is a personal account. This came from a point of view of a person who experienced violence during martial law.)," she added.
For Robredo, the film serves as a reminder to the public to learn from the lessons of the military rule during the Marcos dictatorship.
“Nagpapa-alala sa atin kung ano iyong nilabanan natin, siguro pagpapa-alala sa atin na huwag na huwag nang papayagan na mangyaring muli iyong iniwan na natin (It reminds us of what we fought for and that we should not allow a repeat of the mistakes of the past.),” she said.