The Truth Of The Marcos’ Ill-Gotten Wealth

INQUIRER HEADLINE: “ATOM HITS MARCOS CLAIM ON ‘ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH’.” 

This was a quick strong response by the decades-old August Twenty-One Movement (AT0M) to President Bongbong Marcos in his address to the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) during its luncheon forum on August 15, 2026. 

ATOM, always working for truth, justice and good governance for the country since 1983, was formed in honor of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” who was assassinated on Aug.21,1983, on his return from self-exile in the United States to lead the opposition to the dictatorship of Ferdinand E. Marcos. ATOM unequivocally made it clear to the Marcoses and the Filipino people that “… this claim of Mr. Marcos Jr…is untrue and absolute fake news.”  

In fact, millions who lived through the dark days of the brutal Martial Law regime of President Bongbong Marcos’ father, dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, knew and can attest that Filipinos were forced to suffer the economic plunder, tortures, illegal arrests, detentions, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings of more than 200,000 Filipinos. 

These are the facts as officially researched and faithfully documented by the government agency, Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC).

IN DENIAL

The Filipino people really wonder why the Marcoses have kept on denying their patriarch-dictator’s sins against the people, until today. They probably know and admit in their heart of hearts that as members of the Ferdinand E. Marcos’ family that they have been guilty individually somehow or in some way during their father’s illegal authoritarian rule. 

Understandably fearing a backlash from the Filipino people, they have consistently decided, since they were allowed to come back to the country from their exile in Hawaii in the late 80s, courtesy of then President Fidel V. Ramos and the US government, that they just have to play innocent until today, or till kingdom come. 

Regarding the Marcoses’ return from exile, courtesy of their dictator-father’s friendship and puppetry to the United States government, the Filipino people thought all along that the Marcoses would have kept quiet and rested from politics as they were safely in their late father’s hometown in the so-called “Solid North.” 

However, they unashamedly wormed, most likely with their ill-gotten wealth and fake narratives, their way back to gain political power. 

And now, tragically for the country, President Bongbong Marcos, along with his VP Sara Duterte, on trial under the Impeachment Court, is continuing the disastrous, problematic, bloody and corrupt governance of the former president, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, now an ICC jailbird and soon to be on trial for his crimes against humanity. 

TRUTH STAYS

But, as always, the truth cannot just disappear, as the truth will always come out in due time. 

The fact is, for their peace of mind and that of the Filipino people, the Marcoses should accept and declare the truth of their dictator-father’s crimes against the people, and perhaps such humble submission to the truth, in the name of God (that is, if they still believe in God, unlike the ICC jailbird Rodrigo Duterte and his family), the country will then be able to go forward in its longed-for desire to be a peaceful and progressive country among the community of sovereign nations. 

Is there a chance, no matter how teeny-weeny bit small, that the Marcoses will have the heart and humility to submit publicly to the truth of their dictator-father’s misdeeds, especially with the son, currently holding the highest public position in government? 

This is probably a trillion-peso question, awaited with a lot of hope and prayers by the Filipino people to the Lord of Truth and Justice!