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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider A vote for BBM could bring back dictatorship, says a former PCGG commissioner

A vote for BBM could bring back dictatorship, says a former PCGG commissioner

Published May 4, 2022 03:54 pm

ILOILO CITY – Former Iloilo provincial governor Arthur Defensor Sr. has warned that electing presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. might bring another dictatorship to the country.

“If you’re voting for Marcos, that’s a vote for a possible restoration of dictatorship,” said Defensor at a thanksgiving mini-rally for the last presidential campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo in Iloilo on Tuesday, May 3.

Before Defensor could continue his speech, the crowd chanted: “Never again! Never again! Never again!”

“When you vote for Marcos, you vote for a government that is not accountable,” said Defensor, himself a former commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) created in 1986 to run after Former President Marcos’ alleged ill-gotten wealth.

“In the world, there’s no president or leader that refuses to pay income tax ,” added Defensor.

Defensor told the crowd that included students and young professionals his experience as former commissioner of PCGG.

“I am the one who took the documents back to the country from Switzerland that showed that the Marcoses hid US$ 530 million in Switzerland,” said Defensor.

He added that the Philippine government already retrieved some of the ill-gotten wealth, which was used to pay the victims of martial law.

Defensor then made a last appeal to Ilonggo voters.

“When you vote for Leni, the vote is not for her interest. It is not to enrich herself in power. It is a vote for good governance, for the oppressed, for the victims of human rights, for the poor, for the hungry, and for the sick,” he said.

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