Marcoses revive KBL, vow to get back wealth

MANILA, Philippines - Former Commission on Elections commissioner Jaime Opinion, recently installed as the new chairman of the ailing Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), assured party members yesterday that the Marcos family would help revitalize the party founded by the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

“You cannot separate the party from the Marcos family; KBL is Marcos, Marcos is KBL,” Opinion told The STAR.

He said the KBL expects at least one million votes from hardcore party members nationwide for candidates of the party despite the disqualification of its presidential candidate Vetellano Acosta.

Opinion said the result of the 2010 elections is an indication that hardcore party members are still very active.

“We will start the reorganization after the elections, with the former first lady (Imelda Marcos) who is now a congresswoman; Imee, a governor; and Bongbong (Ferdinand Jr.), a senator; there is now an urgent need to revitalize the party,” Opinion said.

He said Imelda and Imee were both nominees of the KBL, while the Nacionalista Party of Sen. Manuel Villar adopted Bongbong as guest senatorial candidate because of his rift with former KBL officials.

“But Bongbong remains a KBL party member and as member of the Senate I will move for his nomination as the honorary president of the party.” Opinion said Mrs. Marcos, who remains as the KBL’s honorary chair, has assured him that she would help revive the KBL.

Marcoses vow to get back wealth

Imelda Marcos, who won a seat in the lower house of Congress in this week’s elections, said yesterday she was confident of winning back much of the wealth seized from her family.

Marcos, known for her large collection of jewelry and 1,200 pairs of shoes, said she would not accept a compromise deal but would pursue her claims through the courts.

“I am sure that the things that are ours and truly ours will come back,” the 80-year-old told Reuters by phone. “Truth and justice sometimes grind exceedingly slow, but grind exceedingly well.”

She said her husband was not a thief.

“I never wanted any compromise agreement. There will be no compromise because truth, honor and justice are non-negotiable,” she said. “The truth will set us free because we are on the side of the truth and of God. And, if you are on the side of truth and God, nobody can touch you.” – With Reuters