With the kiss of a glass casket containing her dictator husband’s embalmed body, Imelda Marcos relaunched her political career yesterday at the age of 80.
For the irrepressible Marcos, paying loving respect to the controversial former Philippine president delivered a powerful message of family defiance to begin her campaign for a congresional seat.
“He was our best ever president,” Marcos told reporters at the family home in the town of Batac after visiting the mausoleum downstairs.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“During his time we had territorial integrity, freedom, justice and human rights. Whatever else people may say those were the best times ever for the Philippines,” she said.
Marcos surprised all political observers in the Philippines when she registered at the final moment to run for her husband’s old seat in national elections that will be held on May 10.
In line with election laws, she had not spoken publicly about her decision to revive her political career until yesterday, the first day that congressional candidates could hit the campaign trail.
Marcos made it clear she wanted to achieve redemption for her husband, who is accused of stealing billions of dollars from state coffers during his 20-year rule, which ended with a “people power” revolution in 1986.
“I did this to ensure and uphold political integrity and the truth,” Marcos said when asked why she had decided to run for congress.
The matriarch is in fact leading her brood into political battle, with daughter Imee running for governor of Ilocos Norte province, which remains a family stronghold, and son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr seeking a senate seat.
It will be the former first lady’s first political outing since losing a presidential bid in 1992.
However, she pointed to her experience as a key member of her husband’s government, both as housing minister and governor of the Manila capital region, as proof she was worthy of public office.
“If we were able to make Metro Manila ... a city for human beings, how much more we can do here with small towns and villages,” she said.
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