Filipino Dictator’s Daughter Tweets in ‘Support of LGBTQ Community,’ Gets Ridiculed By Netizens

February 1, 2019

A Filipino politician running for senator earned ridicule on Twitter after posting a series of tweets which were purportedly in support of the LGBTQ community.

The current governor of Ilocos Norte, senatorial candidate Imee Marcos, recently wrote about the discrimination faced by gay people, calling for the respect of their rights as, “Gay rights are in every way human rights as well.”

“Today, we continue to see a great deal of discrimination, a great deal of difficulty in hiring, in labor practices and even in opportunities in jobs and schools,” Marcos wrote in her first tweet, attaching photos that showed her attending a gay parade last year.

She also added in Filipino: “It is difficult to be gay. While there are many high-profile gay superstars, many gay people are still finding it difficult to go out and find jobs despite their skills, intelligence, and talent.”

But while the posts themselves bring a positive message in support of the LGBTQ community in the Philippines, many netizens, including those belonging to the group, found her posts to be mere political campaign fodder.

As the daughter of the late Philippines dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos, Imee has been criticized for remaining unapologetic to the victims of corruption and human rights violations under her father’s two-decade rule.

She is also known for her role in the torture and murder of Archimedes Trajano, and for her involvement in the 2017 Tobacco Excise Tax funds scandal.

In response to her pro-LGBTQ posts, Twitter users reminded her not only of Trajano’s death but also the condition LGBTQ faced during her father’s regime.

“Archimedes Trajano. #NeverForget Imee #NeverForget #NeverAgain,” commented Twitter user P Gee.

“Tangina bigla ako naging straight ah (F***, I suddenly became straight),” wrote SHOTA AIZAWA TRASH.

“The LGBT community, did not have a voice during the Martial Law, and many were harassed and tortured. At the behest of Imelda Marcos, an anti-gay book was published that clarified the agonistic situation of gay culture at the same time that all other movements was being silenced,” wrote The Rainbow Travelr.

“Your family killed thousands of Filipinos, stole billions from us, and made this country a hell. Imee, anong karapatan mong magsabing (what right do you have to say) gay rights are human rights?” user Lang Led Castro chimed in.

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“Pls don’t use us to gain leverage coz it’s not gonna work. Members of the LGBTQ+ are really smart folks and can’t be fooled that easily. And I thank you!” replied Kevin Pakganern.

“And human rights are also fundamental rights of the LGBTQIA+–rights which the Marcos dictatorship violently suppressed but you will never feel sorry for. The ghost of Archimedes Trajano will forever haunt your “legacy,” Sanny wrote.

Imee Marcos recently made headlines after her claims of earning a degree from Princeton University was belied by Princeton deputy university spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss.

“Our records do not show that Ms. Marcos was awarded a degree,” said Hotchkiss told Rappler via email.

Featured Image via YouTube / SaraDu30tracker

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