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Former President Fidel Ramos on Monday criticized the family of deposed tyrant Ferdinand Marcos for playing innocent and refusing to apologize for the atrocities committed during the regime.

Ramos was reacting to the remark of the late dictator’s eldest daughter, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who chided Ramos for the abuses during the martial law era and said she was “too young” at the time to make a legal admission of guilt.

Ramos served as chief of the Philippine Constabulary, predecessor of the Philippine National Police, who helped Marcos plan the martial rule. But in a press conference on Feb. 22, 1986, Ramos and then defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile announced their break from the dictator.
“That’s a funny story. When she (Imee) said that they were still young, in fact she said ‘maliliit pa kami ng mga bata’ in Tagalog, I know how old she is because she is one year older than my eldest daughter,” Ramos said at a press conference in his office in Makati City.

“Within a few years after the proclamation of the martial law, Imee was elected, in quotes, ‘president of the Kabataang Barangay.’ So was she a little baby or a little musmusin? Of course not. She was a responsible person,” Ramos told reporters.

Ramos said the Marcos matriarch Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos should make the apology on the family’s behalf, noting that the former first lady “knew everything” about martial law, including the assassination of Marcos’ political nemesis, former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.

“But in terms of the apology that I requested, it was from the mother, the head of the family, who knew everything, including the beginning of martial law, the good years before martial law, including what must have happened in August 1983,” he said.

Reacting to Imee’s comment, Ramos said the role he played in the historic 1986 Edsa People Power revolt that toppled the dictatorship was his atonement and “more than an apology” for his sins.

“I hope you people will remember your history. My apology was more than an apology. In the Christian tradition, you confess and then you atone. My atonement was leading the military and the police during the Edsa People Power Revolution from the 22^nd to 25^th of February in 1986. I stand by that record. It’s there in the history books,” the former President said.

“Our atonement at that time was we were ready to die—sacrificing life, family, and future. We laid it on the altar of our nationhood, and said take it away, because what were the odds? Marcos was the overwhelming force. They had the weapons, the chain of command, chief of staff of the Armed Forces under him. And so that was our atonement. Patay kung patay,” he added.

The Marcos patriarch was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani last Friday in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony that sparked protests in various parts of the country. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court junked all petitions against President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bury Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery as part of his campaign promise, despite strong opposition from martial law victims, rights advocates and the general public.

Marcos’ burial at the LNMB, which saw full military honors including a 21-gun salute, came 30 years after he was toppled in the historic and military-backed Edsa People Power Revolution that ended his two-decade regime, which was marred by human rights abuses and corruption./rga

LIMA, Peru — He just met his “idol” here last Saturday but President Rodrigo Duterte already considers Russia President Vladimir Putin and himself as “fast friends.”

Still delighted by his bilateral meeting with Putin, Duterte narrated to reporters Monday how the often poker-faced Russian leader smiled in his presence and repeatedly invited him to Russia.

“You know, we have become fast friends, President Putin and (China) President Xi Jinping,” Duterte said.

Duterte had a bilateral meeting with Xi on Sunday (Manila time) before his engagement with Putin.

Russian President Putin and Philippine President Duterte attend meeting on sidelines of APEC Summit in Lima

“His (Putin) smile was wide. According to news reports, he does not laugh. But he was smiling all along. He said ‘do not forget to visit Russia. I reserved something for you there.’ ‘True?’ ‘Gun.’ He loves guns,” Duterte said, adding that the Russian president is fond of hunting. “It seemed like we’ve known each other for so long and even the way we pat each other’s hand in a handshake. And you know, I didn’t realize then… before we were seated.”

Duterte said he and Putin were seated beside each other in one of the APEC sessions.

“I was talking with the, I think, the Premier of Vietnam. They were thanking me for the sailors that we sent home. We talked and when I finally sat down, I found out that President Putin was on my left side, so we shook hands,” Duterte said.

“And then after that, I shook his hands again and I finally said I’ll go ahead. Then he gestured to me ‘don’t forget to visit Russia,’” he added.

“He has extended the gracious invitation maybe about four times already. And maybe I will go… I shall go someday.”

During his bilateral meeting with Putin, Duterte assailed western countries, including the United States, for allegedly bullying smaller nations. He also told Putin that the US had forced its allies to join its wars.

Journalists who covered the event were not able to hear Putin’s response as they were already asked to leave the venue while Duterte was talking. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte merely explained to Putin the context and the reasons behind his tirades against the West.

Asked how Putin responded to Duterte’s statements, national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who was present during the meeting, said: “Generally, what President Putin said is that we share your sentiments…”

“He said ‘our assessments coincide in many respects,’” he added without elaborating.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who was also in the meeting, said Putin lauded Duterte’s firmness.

“Something was said about his being firm, perhaps in a way, he would no longer be bullied, something like that,” Lopez said.

Asked if the president was happy that he finally met Putin, Esperon replied: “We were also happy.”

Source: http://www.philstar.com/

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Imelda knew everything about martial law; Imee was no baby -Ramos

Duterte on Putin: We became ‘fast friends’