Imelda Marcos, convicted by Philippine courts on seven counts of graft carrying a total of 77 years imprisonment, was seen yesterday climbing to the rostrum of the Philippine congress to join the proclamation of her son, Ferdinand Jr., as winner of the last presidential elections.

The surreal scene was a gross insult to the collective historical memory of the Filipino people, who 36 years ago, rose up in their millions to drive away the Marcoses after almost two decades of plunder and corruption under martial law rule.

Imelda was flaunting her freedom and her family’s complete restoration to power, when, in fact, she should have been arrested long ago and put behind bars for all the crimes she and her dictator husband perpetrated while in power. The freedom and power that are now being enjoyed by Imelda and all the Marcoses are stark manifestations of the continuing injustice inflicted on the Filipino people.

Imelda’s daughter, Imee, presently a senator, was shameless in lamenting how they “suffered” over the past four decades. Indeed, they are gloating over their opportunity to distort history, reverse the people’s judgement, and recreate the illusion of “greatness” of the Marcos disctatorship by obscuring all its crimes and how the Marcoses accumulated and luxuriated in wealth.

The ruling political system of dynasties of bureaucrat capitalists is utterly rotten for having paved the way for the return of the Marcoses. Except for a handful of progressives in congress, the reactionary politicos were exuding with joy over the sight of Ferdinand Jr., with his siblings and mother.

The Marcoses’ display of power is inciting the outrage of the Filipino people. Their collective clamor: Jail Imelda! Make her pay for all her crimes of stealing the people’s money repeatedly proven before courts, here and overseas. She deserves nothing less having shown no compassion or compunction for all the sufferings of the people under their plunderous reign.