Photo from Senator Imee Marcos' Facebook page
MANILA — Senator Imee Marcos on the 37th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution visited the grave of her late father Ferdinand Marcos Sr., saying her family “did not fall short” in hoping for peace and healing.
In a Facebook post, the lawmaker could be seen kneeling on the grave of her father, who was toppled in a peaceful uprising in EDSA in 1986 after being in power for over 2 decades.
Her photo had a message in it, saying “nasa tabi mo pa rin ako, 37 years after.” (I am still beside you 37 years after.)
Imee said in her caption that her family only wanted to share their side of the story.
"Bagamat ang aking pamilya ay hindi kailanman kinapos sa paghiling ng kapayapaan, paghilom at pag-usad, ang laman ng aking panalangin ay diskusyon para sa pagninilay sa kasaysayan, pagkakataong maibahagi ang kwento ng aming karanasan at paglalahad ng katotohanan, na kung tawagin ay Demokrasya,” she said.
(While our family never fell short of wishing for peace, healing, and progress, I prayed for discussion for introspection on history, an opportunity to share our side of the story, and for sharing the truth under democracy.)
“Kahit gaano man ito kasakit, sa amin o sa aming mga nasaktan, ito lamang ang tunay na makakapagpalaya sa isang bayan.” she added.
“Isang mahigpit na yakap sa mga nagmamahal sa aking pamilya.”
(No matter how hurtful this is for us or for the people we hurt, this will be the only way to free the nation. A tight hug to those who love my family.)
In a separate statement, Imee said the People Power revolt in EDSA changed her mind and their lives "in ways too many to mention."
She said that beyond the lesson of the peaceful event that ousted her father, the truth, she claimed, was that the promise of change still has not come despite it.
"To me, the truth of EDSA is that we owe millions of Filipinos still living in squalor and insecurity, ignorance and hunger the promise of change," she said.
"Together, as one nation, let us go forth to transform this poor and unjust country into a Philippines that is, truly and finally, for all Filipinos."
Her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., earlier in the day said he is offering his "hand of reconciliation" for a better society as the country celebrated the 37th anniversary of the peaceful revolution.
Marcos Jr. said the uprising that brought down his father from power made the country "stronger as a nation,” and urged Filipinos to veer away from individualism for the “sake of the common good.”
Francis “Kiko” Dee, a grandson of democracy icons former President Corazon and Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, told ABS-CBN News earlier that he wants the Marcos family to recognize the human rights abuses committed during Marcos Sr.'s 21 years in power.
The Marcoses have yet to apologize for the abuses while Marcos Jr. had said he can only apologize for himself.
A total of 11,103 of Filipinos have been recognized by courts as victims of rape, kidnapping, torture, and military abuse during Marcos Sr.’s regime.
Six out of 10 Pinoys, meanwhile, still believe that the spirit of EDSA is still alive.