MALACAÑANG on Thursday declared a special non-working day in Ilocos Norte on Sept. 11 for the 100th birth anniversary of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos.
The Palace made the statement even as former senator Aquilino Pimentel said Marcos’ kin’s decision to return the ill-gotten wealth that they allegedly stole from government coffers was an admission of “regret” for stealing public funds during Marcos’ 20-year rule.
“The return of the loot of the Marcoses must be done in order to assuage the people that there’s a certain degree of regret—even if it is not verbally expressed,” Pimentel told reporters.
He said he agreed with Duterte’s move to ask Congress for a law to facilitate the recovery of the Marcoses’ wealth, since it was “necessary” to define the policy that would guide how the wealth would be returned to the government.
Proclamation 310, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Sept. 6, ordered a public holiday in Marcos’ hometown to celebrate his 100th birthday.
“The Ilocano community has been annually celebrating the birthdate of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos, and commemorating his life and contributions to national development as a World War II veteran, distinguished legislator, and former president,” the proclamation says.
“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the Province of Ilocos Norte be given the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.”
Marcos was born on Sept. 11, 1917, in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, but grew up in nearby Batac town, which is acknowledged as the Marcoses’ hometown. He died on Sept. 28, 1989, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier floated the idea of giving the Marcoses immunity from law suits by Congress should his kin return the money that they allegedly looted from government coffers during his rule from 1965 to 1986.
