By John Clifford Lintao
THE House of Representatives seemed more like a house of the Marcoses as it passed a bill declaring the birthday of late former President Ferdinand Marcos who was born September 11, 1917 a non-working holiday in Ilocos Norte.
Some 198 congressmen voted yes to House Bill (HB) No. 7137 setting every September 11 as “President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Day” in Ilocos Norte.
Eight legislators voted no to bill, while one abstained from the vote.
The bill was primarily authored by three Ilocano lawmakers. One is member of the Marcos family — Ilocos Norte 2nd District Representative Angelo Marcos Barba, son of Marcos’ youngest sister Fortuna Marcos Barba, who died in 2018.
Two other authors came from Ilocos Norte too. They are Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ria Fariñas and party-list Rep. Rudy Caesar Fariñas of Probinsiyano Ako partylist group.
Marcos was born in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, on September 11, 1917. His 21-year presidency was marred by corruption, killings, torture, disappearances, and media oppression.
Amnesty International also estimated that about 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 tortured, and 3,240 killed during Marcos’ 20-year rule, The Marcoses were also accused of plundering the country’s coffers, with various estimates pegging the amount between $5 billion to $10 billion.
The family patriarch was ousted during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. Years later, his clan successfully returned to politics, holding key posts in the so-called Solid North and still enjoying the support of Marcos loyalists nationwide.
The current governor of Ilocos Norte is Matthew Marcos Manotoc, Marcos’ grandson and the eldest son of his daughter, Senator Imee Marcos.
No version of HB 7137 has been filed in the Senate.