THE KINGMAKER: Marcos Comeback Via Duterte

Posted on March 28, 2022

Imelda kisses FM’s glass coffin. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Written by

Jude Bautista

BBM: Campaigns in fact are fun… except for the candidate. Dealing with the public is a chore. The candidate’s stressed out all the way. I’m often asked by members of the media. Is it an advantage or disadvantage to be born a Marcos? In this day and age in politics? First of all my name is Ferdinand Marcos, how are you going to separate? And I am his son! There’s no getting away from that. So, no! I have no reason or desire to separate myself. What it is, it is.

Bong bong Marcos during the 2016 VP race. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Leni Robredo: Its difficult and it’s also scary. In this sense that if these people are brought to power again. There’s a very big chance that the sins of the past are going to be committed again in the future.

Leni Robredo ran for VP in 2016. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Protesters chant: NEVER AGAIN TO MARTIAL LAW!

CUT TO 1972 footage of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos’ Declaration of Martial Law.

US News caster: The situation of the Philippines is obscured by rigid news censorship imposed. President Marcos put the country under Martial Law last Friday. 14 of Manila’s 15 newspapers have been closed. Marcos has said, he is trying to save his country from Communism.

Etta Rosales: President Marcos mobilized the military and the police in order to perpetuate himself in power.

Imelda Marcos: Martial Law that was the best years of Marcos because that was when he was able to give the Philippines sovereignty, freedom, justice and human rights.

Etta Rosales’ mugshot when she was accused of subversion during Martial Law. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Pete Lacaba: Martial Law was declared a lot of journalists who were critical of the government had been arrested. But since I eluded the arresting unit, I went underground.

May Rodriguez: I was going to a secret house, three strange men were there. They pulled me in. They made me sit and tied my hands. Blindfolded me and started hours of questioning.

Etta Rosales: I was a teacher. One thing led to another, I got involved to meet as five people was enough to arrest you. And detain you and accuse you of subversion.

Pete Lacaba, Executive Editor of SUMMIT Media’s YES! Magazine and is one of the premiere poets and screenwriters of the country. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Pete Lacaba: We were taken to open air barracks of enlisted men. They hit me in the chest. They made me squat. While squatting they’d hit my shins with bamboo handle.

Etta Rosales: The electric shocks they were really painful. They increased the voltage every time you lied to them.

Pete Lacaba: They made me do the San Juanico Bridge. They made me lie down between two beds with my head on one bed with my feet on the other. My body hanging in the air. I would fall from the pull of gravity. Then they’d get me to go up again to lie down on air again. San Juanico, again.

Etta Rosales: Isn’t it cynical? The bridge of love for one set of people (Ferdinand and Imelda) becomes a method of torture for another set of people. So called enemies of the state.

May Rodriguez. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

May Rodriguez: I was really scared that they were going to rape me. They made me lie down. So they started to take the panties out. I don’t know who. Because I was blindfolded. I only knew my hands and legs were being held down. Someone started running his hands all over my body. Then some finger went in. And they said you probably have some small letters hidden inside. By then I wasn’t fighting. I was numb. I was ready for it.

Etta Rosales: I was burned with wax candle. I was molested, sexually molested by agents of the state.

Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

The sequence above is from the documentary THE KINGMAKER written and directed by Lauren Greenfield for THE SHOWTIME Network in the U.S..

The main character or subject is Imelda Marcos, who was interviewed more than dozen times, in almost as many locations. The crew and producers went with her through her campaign sorties for congress woman and even captured Bong Bong Marcos’ campaign for VP (2016).

Greenfield and crew were able to interview all the main ‘players’ including President Noy Noy Aquino, Beth Day Romulo, close American confidants of the Marcoses: Frank and Mary Yturria among many others. Filming spans at least 4 years, starting in 2014 up to 2018.

Audiences can see, Imelda and the Marcoses’s continuing influence as THE KINGMAKER. President Duterte openly proclaimed that Imee Marcos financed his campaign to the presidency. As his father was a former cabinet official in FM’s first term.

Imelda Marcos; Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Visceral

THE KINGMAKER puts this presidential election in a visceral context, not just historical or political. It was able to capture so much more than anticipated. For instance, they have high quality video and photos of Imelda’s home lined with precious artwork by Pablo Picasso, Jean Honoré Fragonard and Michelangelo. In a subsequent PCGG raid, those paintings suddenly ‘disappeared’ and were replaced on the walls by portraits.

Imelda’s interview in front of her Picasso and Monet, later hidden from PCGG agents. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

They were able to mic up Imelda so well and hidden that she’d sometimes forget she had it on. A whispering conversation she had with Martin Romualdez, was captured by the hot mic. It was about her misgivings on Bong bong’s ‘performance’ as VP candidate.

Lauren Greenfield through a cooperation with ABS CBN and i-WANT TFC have made THE KINGMAKER available for free streaming here on this vimeo link. To watch it click on this link: https://vimeo.com/358556466

Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

THE KINGMAKER is a must watch for every Filipino, to understand everything that is at stake in this election. It’s a grim reminder of the abuses of the Marcos regime and their return to prominence, through their support of Rodrigo Duterte.

Imelda Marcos left behind the most expensive clothes, jewelry and shoes when they left Malacañang in 1986. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Outsider’s Point of View

The power of a documentary over a feature film is its ability to present the words, expressions of their subject matter. Straight from the horses’ mouth, so to speak. People cannot help but reveal who they are, whether they are lying or telling the truth. Just like the line of BBM above, ‘Campaigns in fact are fun… except for the candidate. Dealing with the public is a chore.’ This explains the recent video footage that became viral of him pulling his hand away when meeting with ‘supporters’ on the campaign trail.

BBM was rattled during the 2016 VP Debate. No wonder he didn’t show up in the presidential debates this time around. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Since the producers were Americans, there wasn’t a political agenda, either for or against any side. There were some incidents where they could not understand the Pinoy psyche. They couldn’t understand why after all the documented hidden wealth and human rights atrocities, Imelda Marcos could still win a seat in Congress. Beth Day Romulo described it as ‘Filipinos’ forgiving nature’.

Imelda Marcos and Juan Ponce Enrile during BBM’s VP candidacy in 2016. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Awards

In 2019, THE KINGMAKER debuted at the Venice Film Festival and also screened at the Telluride Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the London Film Festival. The first documentary to debut at all four prestigious fests the same year. THE KINGMAKER won for Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary in the 2019 Critic’s Choice Documentary awards. From: Lauren Greenfield wikiwand.

THE KINGMAKER was nominated as best documentary at the London Film Festival and the Stockholm Film Festival, and for the Checkpoints Award at the Bergen International Film Festival. It also received the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film at the Warsaw International Film Festival 2019. From: The Kingmaker wikiwand

The poor were mostly the victims of Duterte’s Drug War. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Lauren Greenfield previously won other trophies: Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award for another documentary THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES (2012). For which, she was also awarded the Grand Jury Prize from the Brisbane International Film Festival, a second Best Director Award from the RiverRun Film Festival, the Special Jury Documentary Feature prize from the deadCenter Film Festival. Greenfield also directed commercial #likeagirl which won 6 CLIO awards in 2015 and the Grand Prix Award among others in Cannes Lions.

So from a creative and technical standpoint, THE KINGMAKER is on firm ground. It’s very hard to cast doubt on the credibility of the documentary from the filmmaker’s background.

Etta Rosales was a 3 term congresswoman and appointed as Chairman of the Commission of Human Rights. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Prestigious Interviewees

Similarly, Lauren Greenfield chose her sources / interviewees with great care. Etta Rosales was a teacher in the 1970s when she was accused of subversion during Martial Law. Later on she became a Partylist representative and then Chairperson of the Commission of Human Rights. She is also the founder of Alliance of Concerned Teachers.

Pete Lacaba was a student in U.P. when he was captured and tortured during Martial Law. He is one of the esteemed poets, journalist and screenwriters of the country. His firsthand account of the events of the First Quarter Storm protests, Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage (1982), compiled from articles first published in the Philippine Free Press and the Asia-Philippines Leader magazines, are considered important accounts of that period.

He is also Executive Editor of SUMMIT Media’s YES! Magazine. His screenplay credits are among the most highly acclaimed films of the country: Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (1984), ORAPRONOBIS (1989) and JAGUAR (1980) which he co-wrote with Ricky Lee. From Pete Lacaba wikiwand.

I recently found out, Ricky Lee along with the late Bien Lumbera (National Artist for Literature) were both arrested during Martial Law. Thousands were arrested and tortured during that period.

The interviewees, especially the Martial Law victims are distinguished members of their professions and highly regarded members of society.

Imelda’s Devolution

Imelda as subject matter can both be fascinating and repulsive at the same time. Starting from her youth, to a beauty queen to the foremost power behind the throne. They were able to successfully trace the moment where Imelda became an even stronger influence or power broker herself on the late dictator.

It was Marcos extramarital affair with Dovie Beams, whose tryst had an infamous tape recording. Since then, Imelda had threatened to release the audio tape to the public. This was when she started to go on a spending rampage: jewelry, shoes (in the thousands) to construction projects. Long-time Marcos friend Mary Yturria confirmed this, “The Marcoses were living like kings, there’s no two ways about it. They spent money alright, they did.”

Mary Yturria; Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Beth Day Romulo is the widow of UN Sec. General Carlos P. Romulo who served in the Marcos administration. She was part of the inner circle, “Imelda they used to say, she had an edifice complex. She loved buildings. And I think probably, traces back to her background which was relatively humble. She called me one day when she was staying at the Waldorf in New York, ‘What do you think of the Crown building? I said, you know, Beautiful, 57^th and 5^th and all that. It’s a lovely building. She said I’m gonna buy it. And then she bought four more. She was a spontaneous person for acquisitions. If she saw something she liked she’d take it. Like buying out jewelry stores in Paris. And shipping out animals from Africa.” From: THE KINGMAKER.

Ill-gotten Wealth

The incredible spending of Imelda, is made even more unconscionable given the SC ruling on the Marcoses’ ill gotten wealth. In 2003, the Supreme Court of the Philippines determined the official, legal income of both Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.

The figure was pegged at $304,372.43 – classified as lawful income from the period of 1966-1986. IF so how were they able to acquire the buildings in New York mentioned above by Beth Day Romulo? Not to mention, jewelries and works of art ALL totaling in the millions of dollars?

Imelda Marcos shows paintings by Michelangelo and Fragonard on her wall, later hidden from PCGG agents. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

“The law raises the prima facie presumption that a property is unlawfully acquired, hence subject to forfeiture, if its amount or value is manifestly disproportionate to the official salary and other lawful income of the public officer who owns it. Hence, Sections 2 and 6 of RA 1379” From the July 15, 2003 SC Ruling: Supreme Court E-Library.

Figures in Philippine Peso; Graphic is from
KAREN TIONGSON-MAYRINA, GMA News Research – The Supreme Court’s rulings on the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/specialreports/626576/the-supreme-court-s-rulings-on-the-marcoses-ill-gotten-wealth/story/

Prohibited Income

“The sum of $304,372.43 (converted from P16,408,442- PHP to USD at the prevailing exchange rate in 1984) should be held as the only known lawful income of respondents since they did not file any Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SAL), as required by law, from which their net worth could be determined. Besides, under the 1935 Constitution, Ferdinand E. Marcos as President could not receive “any other emolument from the Government or any of its subdivisions and instrumentalities”. Likewise, under the 1973 Constitution, Ferdinand E. Marcos as President could “not receive during his tenure any other emolument from the Government or any other source.” In fact, his management of businesses, like the administration of foundations to accumulate funds, was expressly prohibited under the 1973 Constitution:

Article VII, Sec. 4(2) – The President and the Vice-President shall not, during their tenure, hold any other office except when otherwise provided in this Constitution, nor may they practice any profession, participate directly or indirectly in the management of any business, or be financially interested directly or indirectly in any contract with, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Government or any other subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including any government owned or controlled corporation. From the July 15, 2003 SC Ruling: Supreme Court E-Library

For further reading:

The Supreme Court’s rulings on the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth

By KAREN TIONGSON-MAYRINA, GMA News Research of GMA News Online

Ninoy Aquino Assassination

Beth Day was herself a journalist and author. She became a long time columnist for Manila Bulletin. She also related her husband’s disgust with the Marcoses after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983. This was another major revelation by the documentary:

Beth Day Romulo is a distinguished columnist for Manila Bulletin and author. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Beth Day Romulo: While it was never proven it was a hired assassin, but General Romulo, he was just heartbroken over that. Because it was such a miserable, nasty thing to do. Of course it was suspected that it was Imelda.

President Noynoy Aquino; Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Pres Noynoy Aquino: She (Imelda) believed that there was a threat, she was prevailing over my father not to come home. And then you’re going to say “ I had nothing to do with it”. I’m sorry, kind of absurd concept.

Etta Rosales: The killing of the late senator Benigno Aquino sparked the movement. That really brought out the people in their numbers.

Could it be that the candidacy of VP Leni Robredo these days is the spark that has inspired a movement? Robredo’s rallies has attracted tens of thousands of people: 130,000 – Pasig, 70,000 – Bacolod, 40,000 – Iloilo, 21,000- Caloocan. Could Leni Kiko spark our new EDSA?

Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Diamonds in Diapers

In a scene from the documentary, Imelda related with a wry smile how she was able to spirit away valuable jewelry during their escape from the 1986 People’s Revolution.

Imelda: A few days before there was a big reception where I had to wear some jewelry. Just as we were told to get into the helicopter, I saw a box of diapers from my grandchildren. So I put this jewelry in this box of diapers. Diamonds in diapers. It saved us later on to pay the lawyers that cost millions.

Newscaster: As it drew near midnight in Manila, the demonstrators stormed the gates of the palace to take back what they said were theirs. They looted Marcos’ property, they rifled his files and defiled his portraits. They raided the Marcos refrigerator. It was a burst of long pent up fury spent on a palace that was the very symbol of the Marcos dictatorship.

Newscaster: Filipinos were staggered by the opulence and by Imelda’s famous closet. The designer dresses from Rome ordered only days before fleeing, she placed her last 80 thousand dollar order. This dress was hand embroidered with silver thread…Here we see a bullet proof bra…She left behind 3,000 pairs of shoes…

Imelda: They found no skeletons but found only beautiful shoes!

Duterte Connection

The documentary spells out how the Marcoses returned to seats of power by financing Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential candidacy.

Etta Rosales: Little did we know that the Marcoses financed in a big way, the election of Duterte. So it was a very convenient alliance. Which is now paving the way for Bongbong Marcos to get to Malacañang. The sooner the better.

VP Leni Robredo; Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Leni Robredo: Almost everyone who has the balls to criticize him (Duterte) in public gets ostracized, gets persecuted. I’m fully aware that my being vocal of this administration’s policies will cost me something. But you know if I don’t do it who will?

Andy Bautista was then assigned as PCGG Chairman by PNoy (2010). Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

Andy Bautista: The fact that President Aquino appointed me (as COMELEC Chairman), got me into the hitlist that they wanted to be removed. For the well-being of my family, including myself I thought that it would be beneficial for everybody concerned that I first leave the Philippines. I went to my brother in Oklahoma. I am scared to return to the Philippines, ever since the new administration has come in, the Marcoses were able to regain a lot of political clout. They have scrubbed clean the sins of the past. And they’re trying to project themselves as the leaders of the future.

Duterte’s Drug War

Duterte’s War on Drugs resulted in 6,200 deaths (officially) from 2016 – Nov 2021 government data shows. From Reuters: Philippines’ Duterte says will never apologise for drug war deaths

The documentary was able to relate the drug war victims with the violence during the Martial Law era under Ferdinand Marcos. And then relate that to Duterte’s permission to bury the late Dictator in the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery)

May Rodriguez. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

May Rodriguez: It is happening again. It reminds us of what it felt during the time of the Marcos dictatorship. We don’t know what to do actually. You cannot run to the police. It’s the police that’s doing it.

Mother (of EJK victim): Kaya nagsisi ako na boto ko yan si Duterte. Dahil sa inuna niya, pinapatay niya mahihirap. Yung mga gumagamit lang pinapatay niya. Masakit po ang loob naming pamilya.

Widow: Pero ngayon ang na ngingibabaw po ngayon ay ang takot. Takot na baka mamatay kami. Takot na baka ganoon din ang gawin nila gaya ng pagpatay nila sa asawa ko.

The poor were mostly the victims of Duterte’s Drug War. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/358556466

Mother: Marami din daw pinapatay si Marcos pero di naman gaya niyan na pinakikita nila na talagang nasa TV, sa balita. Para na lang mga hayop pinapatay nila.

Eta Rosales: Since Duterte cannot govern democratically. He has to create an enemy to justify the use of force.

Martial Law victims protest Pres. Marcos burial in Libingan Ng Mga Bayani. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/358556466

Pres. Duterte: I will allow the burial of Marcos at the Heroes’ Cemetery.

BBM: It was my father’s fervent wish that when he came to the end of his days that he be buried in a simple soldier’s ceremony. We thank Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for his recognition of my father’s service to the nation. Let us be the heroes my father asked us all to be. And finally bring the Filipinos to greatness.

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Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law and had journalists and critics arrested, tortured and killed. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

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Leni Robredo ran for VP in 2016. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

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The Picasso and Monet were replaced by portraits. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

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Leni Robredo ran for VP in 2016. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

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Leni Robredo proclaimed as Vice President in 2016. Watch THE KINGMAKER here on this vimeo link: with English audio – https://vimeo.com/682116904
and in Filipino Dub and subtitles – https://vimeo.com/693601205

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