The State : Marcos’ Son Stirs a Fuss

It was supposed to be a night of fun for the sizable Santa Clara County Filipino community, including drinks and dancing. But party-goers at the festival in San Jose were dealt a surprise when the VIP who crowned the queen appeared: it was none other than Ferdinand (Bong Bong) Marcos Jr., son of the Philippines’ ex-president accused of looting his country’s treasury. “I thought it was an insult to Filipinos to honor a person who represents all the evil that happened in the Philipines,” said Father Ben Manding, director of the Filipino Catholic Ministry. Marcos crowned Melissa Aquino, who is not related to current Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Ernie Aglipay, a trustee of the Filipino Community of Santa Clara County Inc., said he invited both Aquino and Marcos supporters in an effort to aid reconciliation. “We were trying to make unity,” he said.