Who’s afraid of a Noynoy presidency? Not I, says Imelda

(Updated 3:04 PM) LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — The only son of the late democracy icons Benigno and Corazon Aquino is leading the pack of presidential contenders in the May 10 polls. But Imelda Marcos, widow of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, said she has no reason to be afraid. Imelda said she is prepared to face political persecution from Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, who earlier vowed to go after her family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth in case he becomes President. "People have been asking me, ‘Are you not bothered that Noynoy could become President?’ I say, ‘No. A Noynoy presidency would only mean the return of the oligarchs and feudal lords," Imelda told GMANews.TV on Tuesday, alluding to the controversial Hacienda Luisita and its hectares of farmlands owned by the Aquinos and Cojuangcos in Tarlac. Imelda, whose husband and their cronies allegedly bled the country to death by amassing ill-gotten assets during their two-decade reign, belittled the threat of Noynoy, saying Corazon Aquino had little success in recovering their assets. "If Cory couldn’t do it, do you think Noynoy can?" she asked. Imelda, remembered by critics for symbols of the corrupt wastefulness of her husband's political reign — including her more than 3000 pairs of shoes — insists there was no ill-gotten wealth, adding that they had not stolen from Filipinos. Dictator Lamenting their fall from grace more than two decades ago, Imelda called Cory a "thief" and "a usurper of power," citing the popular street uprising that swept her to power and forced the Marcos family to go into exile in Hawaii in 1986. Shortly after the People Power uprising, Mrs. Aquino formed the Presidential Commission on Good Government to go after the Marcos loot, but the body ended up recovering only a little more than $1 billion worth of the Marcoses’ cash and other assets. "[Cory] is the thief. She is the dictator, not us. She was oppressive. She violated not only our human rights, but also natural laws and God’s law," said Imelda, whose husband curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and activists under martial law. "The dictator Cory was not even elected. She booted us out, and she put up a Constitution [through] members who were not elected officials," she added, referring to the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Charter. "She was really a usurper because she never won any election," Imelda said. Meanwhile, Aquino refrained from meeting Marcos' remarks head-on. In an ambush interview with reporters in Cagayan de Oro, Aquino said he would ensure justice is served if he wins. "Nahirapan po akong sagutin," he said. "Number one, napakalaki ng tanda niya sa atin. Number two, babae po siya. Basta ako po pinapangako ko ho sa lahat ng tao na meron tayong closure on so many issues." (I had difficulty answering that question. Number one, she's far too older than I am. Number two, she's a woman. But at the same time, I promise to all that we will have closure on so many issues.) He said that while he would ensure "everybody's rights are protected," those found to be guilty of crimes would be punished. "Kung may kasalanan din, pasensyahan na lang tayo. Tatakbo po yung wheels of justice and justice will be served," he said. (If found to be guilty, then let's just leave it at that. The wheels of justice will turn and justice will be served.) Destiny Imelda said she was prepared to become part of the opposition should Noynoy, the Liberal Party standard-bearer, win in the upcoming polls. She claimed her family had allied itself with Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party, because he could address the "injustice" that the Aquino administration had allegedly committed against her family. Imelda is running for congresswoman in Ilocos Norte’s second district, eldest daughter Maria Imelda Josefe "Imee" is running for governor, and only son Ferdinand "Bongbong" Jr. is seeking a Senate seat. All are running under the Nacionalista Party-Kilusang Bagong Lipunan banner. Imelda disclosed that administration party Lakas-Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino)-CMD had offered to adopt them last year, but she declined. "We have been victims of [corruption]. We allied ourselves with the opposition because we’re opposed, in principle and in truth, against all of these injustices." Explaining her support for Villar, Noynoy’s fiercest rival, Imelda said: "You cannot prevent destiny from happening, but you can be on top of it." — with Johanna Camille L. Sisante/RSJ/NPA/RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV