Bangsamoro ML victims oppose Marcos' candidacy

COTABATO CITY – Muslim victims of Martial Law under the hands of thenPresident
Ferdinand Marcos today expressed opposition to the desire of Sen. Ferdinand Bong-Bong”
Marcos to become the country’s next vice president.

We strongly
express our most avowed disapproval of the candidacy for vice president of the
late dictator’s son and namesake, Sen. Ferdinand Bong Bong R.
Marcos, Jr,” members of Bangsamoro Justice-Seekers for Martial Law Massacre
Victims, said in a statement signed by spokesperson Mambai Edon Sapalon.

She said in
support to statements previously issued by other victims of Martial Law, we
fiercely deplore the guiltless stance and refusal of Sen. Bong Bong Marcos to
recognize the atrocities and destruction inflicted by his father's tyranny
against our people.”

It said the
vice presidential candidate and the Marcoses have blood in their hands for the
massacre of Bangsamoro people during the military rule. It listed the number of Moro fatalities.

Thousands of
victims including women, children, old people were put to death mercilessly by
government forces, among which were those massacred in Manili, North Cotabato
(70 dead) in 1971, Tacub, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte (140), in Alamada, North
Cotabato (73) in 1971, Magsayasay, Lanao del Norte (66) in 1971, Kisulon,
Bukidnon (67) in 1971, Buldon, Maguindanao

(60) in 1971,
Malisbung, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat (1,000+) in 1973, Patikul, Sulu (700+) in
1977, and Pata Island in Sulu (2,000+) in 1981.

The
Justice-Seekers said like his father, Senator Marcos committed a massacre of
his own by butchering the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in the Halls of Senate.”

BBL is a draft
enabling law that will fully implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro entered into by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF).

Sen. Marcos
even brazenly announced the death of the BBL, branding it as a foolish attempt
at peace, which consequently killed the hopes and dreams of the Moro people,”
the Martial Law Justice-Seekers said.

His apathy
and proven disinterest in achieving real and lasting peace in Mindanao gravely
debilitate and put to waste the concerted efforts of concerned stakeholders in
the decades-old peace processes in the country,” it said.

The group also
rallied its people not to take the hard-earned freedom and democracy as a
result of the Mindanao peace process for granted. Let us never allow
ourselves, our loved ones, and the future generation to once again be subjected
and succumb to similar oppression and injustices that we have experienced in
the hands of the Marcoses,” the group said.

Never again
to the Marcoses in the helm of power in this country,” it added.