AQUINO VOWS TO THWART MARCOSES' RETURN TO POWER

Clark, Pampanga – President Aquino, in the mood to deliver punches, vowed here yesterday to thwart the return of the Marcoses into power and resumed his tirade against his predecessor whom he accused of leaving the country in a “sorry state”. The President said the country has vastly improved under his watch compared to the sorry state it was in when he inherited it from former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He also expressed concern that Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. might repeat the mistakes of his father especially after adopting the same campaign slogan, “I will make this country great again.” Marcos, son and namesake of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, continued to lead in the race for vice president based on recent opinion polls. Aquino’s preferred VP candidate, Leni Robredo, is inching her way to the top spot. image: http://www.mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/240416_Pinoy_01-300x184.jpg President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Launching of the Listong Pamayanan and Listong Pamilyang Pilipino under the Operation Listo Program of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at the Grand Ballroom of the Royce Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga on Monday (April 25, 2016). (Photo by Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Launching of the Listong Pamayanan and Listong Pamilyang Pilipino under the Operation Listo Program of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at the Grand Ballroom of the Royce Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga on Monday (April 25, 2016). (Photo by Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) “You might say I am biased but it got me thinking. They have the same slogan; they will probably implement the same plans. And if there is anything I can do, that will not come to pass. I don’t want a repeat of our problems from 1972 to 1986,” Aquino said during a meeting with local leaders at the Fontana Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga. Aquino was referring to the country’s dark martial law period when the countless abuses and other atrocities were committed. The Marcoses, who have been blamed for rights abuses, have yet to recognize and even apologize for these offenses. The President made the remarks after reading new reports on former First Lady Imelda Marcos’ comments about his son’s campaign battle cry. “Mrs. Imelda Marcos reportedly said ‘My son will make this country great again.’ I thought about it and sought a research. It turns out the campaign slogan of Ferdinand Marcos when he first ran in 1965 was ‘I will make this country great again,” Aquino said. Marcos, the widow of the late President, earlier campaigned for her son during a visit in Leyte, asking voters to unite “so that our nation will be great again.” Marcos, currently representative of Ilocos Norte’s 2nd district, said her son is running on a campaign theme of national unity. Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/aquino-vows-to-thwart-marcos-return-to-power-twits-gma/#SDpVim0j4HCKUGI6.99