'Mystified' Imee: Too young in 70s to be linked to activist Trajano's death | ABS-CBN

Featured:
|

ADVERTISEMENT

HEADLINES:
|
dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

'Mystified' Imee: Too young in 70s to be linked to activist Trajano's death

'Mystified' Imee: Too young in 70s to be linked to activist Trajano's death

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated May 31, 2019 10:23 AM PHT

Clipboard

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

MANILA -- Senator-elect Imee Marcos said Thursday it was unfair to blame her for the death of a student activist in in 1977, since at that time she had no control over security forces.

Archimedes Trajano, then 21, questioned Marcos during a student forum and was escorted out of the venue. His remains were later found in a Manila street with torture wounds.

"Sabi nila may kinalaman kami sa nangyayari pero I'm very, very mystified dahil ang liliit pa namin and wala kaming command responsibility or operational command sa mga sundalo, or sa mga pulis. It's really unfair," Marcos told ANC's Headstart.

(They say I had a hand in that incident but I'm very, very mystified because I was young then and I did not have command responsibility or operational command over soldiers or policemen.)

ADVERTISEMENT

The daughter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos who was also 21 at that time denied knowing Trajano or even remembering the event where their paths crossed.

"No idea. I don't even remember the incident referred to because I used to do a lot of school fora. This was the 70s and the 80s everything was very heated and exciting and protests was the rule of the streets. Ang dalas (Too often)," she said.

Marcos chaired the youth council, Kabataan Barangay, after being appointed to the post by her father.

Trajano, then a 21-year old student of the Mapua Institute of Technology, questioned her appointment during a public forum but instead of a getting an answer, he was dragged outside by Marcos's security escorts.

His body bore signs of torture when it was found on a street in Manila.
Trajano's mother won a damage suit before Hawaii court for the "wrongful death" of her son. But the family was not able to collect the $4.16-million in damages from Marcos because of a Supreme Court ruling in 2006. The SC ruled that the service of summons on Marcos was invalid.

"The truth is the case has been dismissed not once but twice. It's a civil case in the first place. I don't even know, it's been so long ago," Marcos said.

"I'm so puzzled by these charges dahil mga bata kami--what 15-, 16- years old. I wasn't even in the Philippines. I was going to school overseas because my father took the position na OK I'm going to do this quite fearsome and untried thing and it's better if the kids leave," she said.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.