Protesters Disrupt Lavish Dinner between Marcos & Filipino Billionaires in Washington DC; 4 arrested

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2023
Contact: Jhong Dela Cruz, BAYAN DMV, (240) 331-6594, bayan.usa.dmv@gmail.com

WASHINGTON DC — Chanting “Marcos is not welcome here!” Filipino activists and supporters disrupted the lavish dinner scheduled for Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his cabinet members, and some of the richest businessmen from the Philippines at Fiola Mare, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the bank of the Potomac River. The feast harkens back memories of the Marcos family’s extravagant spending during a time of rising impoverishment and economic crisis in the Philippines. As protesters rallied in front of the restaurant, four activists were arrested inside.

“You are arresting the wrong people!” exclaimed Julie Jamora of the Malaya Movement. “If you want to arrest someone, arrest the thieves inside. The only reason Marcos was not detained when he stepped foot inside this country is because of diplomatic immunity.” Before Marcos assumed presidency, he and his family were barred from traveling to the United States due to an ongoing $353 million contempt order tied to human rights violations under Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s brutal martial law.

Berna Ellorin of BAYAN USA also called attention to the criminal culpability of Marcos’ guests. “War criminals like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are dining with Marcos tonight. They are responsible for the kidnapping and torture of Melissa Roxas and thousands of other Filipinos.” Melissa Roxas is a community health worker who was abducted and tortured by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2009 while conducting community health work in Tarlac, Philippines.

“It should also be a crime that Marcos and his billionaire cronies are spending thousands of dollars each day between hotels, restaurants, and shopping from the funds of the Filipino people,” continued Ellorin. “When a family of 5 has to live on $7 a day while Enrique Razon Jr has a net worth of $7 billion, is that just?”

Enrique Razon Jr., Lance Gokongwei, and Sabin Aboitiz were among expected attendees of the dinner. Razon leads the billionaire pack with a net worth of $7.7 billion as chairman and CEO of the Manila-listed company International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), the Philippine port-handling giant. Aboitiz and Gokongwei follow at $2.9 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively.

Meanwhile, as of February, the minimum wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines was P570 ($10.28), less than half of what a family living wage should be at P1,165 ($21.02). Wages in provinces further away from NCR, such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, were much farther from this goal: P341 ($6.15), or only 17.5 percent of a family living wage.

“The majority of Filipino people — including overseas migrants — are working themselves to the bone just to put food on the table in the midst of skyrocketing inflation in the cost of food and other basic necessities. Government funds should be prioritized for improving the situation of everyday Filipinos, not the luxury lifestyles of Marcos and the Philippine billionaire class,” concluded Ellorin.