'Paumanhin': Imee Marcos explains 'move on' remark on martial law

MANILA- Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos clarified on Thursday her previous remark to "move on" from the dictatorship of her late father, strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Marcos, who is seeking a Senate seat in next year's polls, previously drew flak for saying that millennials "have moved on" from martial law and so should people her age.

"Hindi ko naman sinasabi na move on, talikuran, at talagang iwaksi na yung mga nakaraan eh, talagang bahagi na ng kasaysayan natin yan," she said in DZMM's "Ikaw Na Ba?" senatorial candidate interview.

(I'm not saying move on, turn your back, and totally dispel the past. That's part of our history.)

"Ang pinaka-importante eh aralin maigi kung may madadampot na mabubuting leksyon eh bakit hindi gamitin?" she added.

(What's important is to pick up, if any, lessons we can learn from it.)

Asked whether her family should apologize first for the atrocities during the late strongman's regime, Marcos said they have repeatedly said sorry.

"Kung may nasaktan, yung mga nadale, natanggal sa trabaho, namatayan eh talagang kami nagpapaumanhin," she said.

• Liberal Party chief to Marcoses: 'Apologize first' before Filipinos 'move on'

(To those who were hurt, affected, lost their jobs and loved ones, we say sorry.)

• Responding to calls for her family to apologize, Imee Marcos says ‘dedma’

The Marcos dictatorship is one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history, marked with corruption and atrocities with at least 3,257 people killed and some 35,000 others tortured. 

According to the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the Marcos family's ill-gotten wealth is estimated to reach $10 billion, with only P170 billion recovered in 30 years.

Opposition Senator Bam Aquino meanwhile said what's important is for the people to know what really happened during the Marcos regime and for the country not to repeat the same mistakes.

"Siguro may mga ilan na hindi na nila pinapakealaman masyado, pero ang mahalaga ho eh alam ng taumbayan ang nangyari noong martial law," he said.

(Some people may have no opinion about it anymore but what's important is for the public to know what really happened during martial law.)

"It's important na malaman natin yan para huwag na natin ulitin ulit," he added.