Filipino Christian Blog: Imelda Marcos and the Ampatuans

The most read article I had on this blog site was the article I posted on the 2009 Maguindanao massacre and the disappearance of Conjugal Dictatorship author and former Ferdinand Marcos right-hand Primitivo Mijares. The Al Jazeera documentary Imelda and Me by Filipino international journalists Veronica Pedrosa also linked and compared the Marcos's to the Ampatuans of Maguindanao province.

The documentary is a must-see (embedded above). Pedrosa, whose family was forced into exile by the Marcos regime began the documentary confronting Imelda Marcos about her family. Then concluded with the Ampatuans's rise to power and their brutal murder of 58 Filipinos in Maguindanao. Comparing two families as examples of corruption and warlordism that plagued Philippine politics for a long time. Pedrosa said, "The Philippines sees itself as a showcase of democracy in the region, but the truth is that the system is rotten to the core, those guilty of the worst crimes known to humanity go unpunished, and so those crimes continue."

Sadly, the culture of injustice and violence in politics didn't stop when the Marcos's fled the Philippines. Atrocities from powerful individuals continue and remain unpunished to this day. The only way to stop the cycle is when Filipinos both in and out of politics, start forming a strong moral will to always know and do what is right even in the face of temptations to do wrong or to acquire more wealth and power.