Obscure life of Philippines’ ex-dictator Marcos exposed
New secret documents revealed by whistleblower platform Wikileaks show the ostentatious display of wealth and the obscure sense of humour of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda during his rule in the 1970s, displaying tasteless details of the party life of the strongman and his “unstable” wife.
For example, Marcos forced his military chiefs to parade as women during a sycophantic birthday party planned by Imelda in 1973.
“The president seemed to enjoy it and appeared unaware of the negative vibrations among his courtiers, especially the senior military, upon whom so much of his future programmes will depend,” said a cable sent by then US Ambassador to Manila, William H. Sullivan, dated Septemeb 12, 1973.
Former senator and protege of Ferdinand Marcos, Juan Ponce Enrile, confirms this and more in his 750-page book entitled A Memoir, released in September 2012.
“There was a lull, and I saw the First Lady walk to the microphone. With a naughty smile, she asked the military to contribute its share to the festivity… The generals were all attired in straw skirts and high-heeled shoes. They were wearing bras… Their lips were painted red with lipstick,” Enrile wrote.
Sullivan’s cable is 1 of 16,000 sent by the US embassy in Manila to Washington between 1973 and 1976. Some of the early memos discuss the Philippines’ Sabah claim, the Moro unrest in Mindanao, as well as the Spratlys.
Marcos and his wife are said to have amassed a fortune of around $580 million fortune during the years in office. Since being forced into exile to Hawaii in 1986 – where Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989 -, Imelda Marcos has worked tirelessly to continue to move those funds away from the prying demands of Manila officials.
Today, there is still no lawful procedure to claim the money back and grant compensation for those who suffered from the dictatorship.
New secret documents revealed by whistleblower platform Wikileaks show the ostentatious display of wealth and the obscure sense of humour of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda during his rule in the 1970s, displaying tasteless details of the party life of the strongman and his "unstable" wife. For example, Marcos forced his military chiefs to parade as women during a sycophantic birthday party planned by Imelda in 1973. "The president seemed to enjoy it and appeared unaware of the negative vibrations among his courtiers, especially the senior military, upon whom so much of his future programmes will...
New secret documents revealed by whistleblower platform Wikileaks show the ostentatious display of wealth and the obscure sense of humour of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda during his rule in the 1970s, displaying tasteless details of the party life of the strongman and his “unstable” wife.
For example, Marcos forced his military chiefs to parade as women during a sycophantic birthday party planned by Imelda in 1973.
“The president seemed to enjoy it and appeared unaware of the negative vibrations among his courtiers, especially the senior military, upon whom so much of his future programmes will depend,” said a cable sent by then US Ambassador to Manila, William H. Sullivan, dated Septemeb 12, 1973.
Former senator and protege of Ferdinand Marcos, Juan Ponce Enrile, confirms this and more in his 750-page book entitled A Memoir, released in September 2012.
“There was a lull, and I saw the First Lady walk to the microphone. With a naughty smile, she asked the military to contribute its share to the festivity… The generals were all attired in straw skirts and high-heeled shoes. They were wearing bras… Their lips were painted red with lipstick,” Enrile wrote.
Sullivan’s cable is 1 of 16,000 sent by the US embassy in Manila to Washington between 1973 and 1976. Some of the early memos discuss the Philippines’ Sabah claim, the Moro unrest in Mindanao, as well as the Spratlys.
Marcos and his wife are said to have amassed a fortune of around $580 million fortune during the years in office. Since being forced into exile to Hawaii in 1986 – where Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989 -, Imelda Marcos has worked tirelessly to continue to move those funds away from the prying demands of Manila officials.
Today, there is still no lawful procedure to claim the money back and grant compensation for those who suffered from the dictatorship.
