The Aquino family believes that the Marcoses must be held accountable for the death and oppression of slain former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. 41 years ago.
The family's statement came in time for Aquino's 92nd birth anniversary on Wednesday, Nov. 27, and a day after Vice President Sara Duterte tagged the Marcos family in the assassination of the former senator.
The Aquinos expressed belief that the Marcoses are also liable for the ordeal of all other individuals who were kidnapped, tortured and killed during the administration of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
"Si Ninoy Aquino na siguro ang pulitikong nakaranas ng pinakamatinding panggigipit mula sa mga Marcos (It might have been Ninoy Aquino who had experienced the worst political oppression from the Marcoses)," a statement from the family posted on the fan page of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III's Facebook page read.
"Karapat-dapat na sila'y panagutin para sa kanya at sa libu-libo pang dinakip, tinortyur, at pinatay sa panunungkulan ni Marcos, Sr., (It's just right that the Marcoses must be held accountable for his and the thousands of others' kidnapping, torture and death under the Marcos Sr. administration)," it added.
The Aquino family said that their patriarch had believed in a peaceful revolution even in his last days, and in 1986, it was the one that freed the Filipino people from "the brutality and greed of dictatorship."
That has also become the stand of the Aquino family ever since, it said.
"Mariing naming tinututulan ang anumang bantang karahasan o pagpaslang (We sternly oppose any threats of violence or killing)," it said.
The Aquino family also called on the Filipino people to pray for the country.
A political drama ensued between former campaign allies, President Marcos and Vice President Duterte, after the latter decried political oppression from the Marcos administration.
Duterte disclosed that she already made an arrangement to assassinate the President if she gets killed.
Marcos did not let Duterte's pronouncement pass and issued a statement condemning the Vice President's remark.
Duterte, in another retaliatory remark, tagged the Marcoses in the killing of Aquino Sr.
"Di ba pumalag nga yung buong bayan nung pinatay ng pamilya nila si Benigno Aquino Jr.? (Didn't the whole country fight back when their family had Benigno Aquino Jr. killed?)" Duterte asked in an interview with reporters.