Marcos takes helm in Philippines, silent on father’s abuses

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has praised his father’s legacy and glossed over its violent past as he was sworn in as Philippine president. His rise to power comes 36 years after an army-backed “People Power” revolt booted his namesake dictator father from office. In his inaugural speech, Marcos Jr. said his father accomplished many things and built better roads that had not been done since the country’s independence. Activists and survivors of the martial law era say the stunning election victory was pulled off by whitewashing the Marcos family’s image. Protests took place at the same time as Marcos Jr. took oath at the steps of the National Museum in Manila. He called for unity and avoided the mention of abuses under his father’s rule.