The passage discusses the upcoming election in the Philippines, focusing on the Marcos family, specifically Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is a leading candidate. The narrative highlights the controversial history of the Marcos family, particularly Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s reign as president, which was characterized by martial law, human rights abuses, and massive wealth accumulation.
The passage also mentions the Marcoses' return to the Philippines after living in exile for three decades, during which time they faced a government commission set up to recover the stolen wealth. However, due to court delays and the Marcos family's resistance, only about half of the estimated stolen wealth has been recovered.
The narrative then shifts to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also known as Bongbong, who is running for president. Despite being a member of a family with a controversial past, Bongbong has managed to present himself as a regular citizen and has been gaining support in the election. The passage suggests that his campaign has been successful in rewriting the history of the Marcos family and portraying Bongbong in a positive light.
The narrative concludes by highlighting the importance of the upcoming election in the Philippines, as it is not just about choosing a future leader, but also about deciding which version of the past the country wants to believe in - the one where Ferdinand Marcos wreaked havoc under martial law, or the one where he was a great NBA scout. The passage ends with a call for citizens to listen to their fellow citizens who remember the past and are determined not to repeat it.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The text is a transcript of a segment from the show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where he talks about the Philippines and its upcoming presidential election.
2. The text mentions the current president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his violent war on drugs, his vulgar language, and his attacks on journalists and critics.
3. The text also mentions Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who is the front-runner in the polls to become the next president of the Philippines.
4. The text criticizes Bongbong Marcos for his lack of apology or accountability for his father's crimes, which include imposing martial law, killing and torturing thousands of people, and embezzling billions of dollars from the country.
5. The text exposes some of the online disinformation and revisionism that glorifies the Marcos family and erases their atrocities, such as false claims that Ferdinand Marcos gave bread to a young Michael Jordan or that he was a great lawyer.
6. The text contrasts Bongbong Marcos with his main rival, Lenny Robredo, the current vice president and a human rights lawyer, who has faced vicious attacks online but has inspired huge rallies in support of her candidacy.
7. The text argues that the Philippines election is not just about the future, but also about the past, and urges Filipinos to listen to their fellow citizens who remember and resist the Marcos dictatorship.