Someone tell Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to stay away from the Game of Thrones (GoT) references. It really isn’t a good look.
At least that’s what netizens thought about the birthday greeting he posted for son Sandro Marcos on Thursday. While initial comments were supportive greetings for his son, netizen found the video over the weekend and are now blasting it.
It shows Bongbong in Sabu, Ilocos Norte province sitting among “the entire leadership of Ilocos Norte” and greeting Sandro a happy birthday. The caption reads: “Happy Birthday from Ilocos [Norte], Sandro! The North remembers you.”
Ilocos Norte is a province located in the northern Philippines, ergo Bongbong’s GoT reference. The actual GoT phrase “The North remembers” is mainly used as a warning that those from the North will get even with those who have wronged them.
There’s also an empty seat in the video, which Bongbong says is Sandro’s, implying that the 25-year-old should join politics, just like other Marcos family members.
https://twitter.com/bongbongmarcos/status/1103490577193086976
The Marcos family is one of the most controversial clans in Philippine politics. Their patriarch, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was found to have stolen billions of dollars from the Filipino people.
His wife, Imelda Marcos was also found guilty on seven counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division in November but is currently out on bail.
There were also countless human rights violations while President Marcos was in power.
Still, they remain very influential, especially in Ilocos Norte where they still hold various political positions, including Imelda who is a House representative.
Bongbong, a former senator even ran for vice president in 2016 — and was endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte — but eventually lost to Leni Robredo. He is still contesting the results to this day. Bongbong’s sister Imee is currently running for Senate and ranks 7th to 15th places in the polls.
READ: Imee Marcos is falsely claiming she graduated from Princeton, says university’s student paper
So while Bongbong’s video seemed lighthearted, it drew a backlash from Filipino netizens who brought out their own witty GoT references.
Twitter user @gboghong1 said: “I’m from the north and I wish to be excluded from this narrative.”
I’m from the north and I wish to be excluded from this narrative.
— gboghong (@gboghong1) March 10, 2019
Twitter user @scrtsjrm included another GoT reference himself. “Of course, the Marcoses can never be Lannisters. Because a Lannister always pays his debts,” he said with a suggestive tone directed at the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth.
Of course, the Marcoses can never be Lannisters.
Because a Lannister always pays his debts. https://t.co/oyNPNnhZWb
— Soc #42KPL #22Colmenares (@scrtsjrm) March 10, 2019
@jhnrmn also shared a photo of the House Lannister’s heraldry which shows a golden lion on a crimson background. On the bottom part of the graphic was the sentence: “A Marcos never pays their debts.”
— jhn rmn (@jhnrmn) March 10, 2019
@okayshayra shared a GoT gif which shows Septa Unella chanting: “Shame, shame, shame.”
!!! pic.twitter.com/uHBWulBkpu
— shayra katrina mari (@okayshayra) March 10, 2019
@itsdenimjeans said: “The Boltons of the North.” House Bolton of the Dreadfort is basically plain evil, infamous for its centuries-old practice of flaying their enemies alive.
The Boltons of the North
— 💫 (@itsdenimjeans) March 10, 2019
“[T]he [P]hilippines also remembers what your family has done,” said @astronautzia.
the philippines also remembers what your family has done
— zia #DefendPressFreedom (@astronautzia) March 10, 2019
“We will also #NeverForget,” added @traciethediva.
Never Forget is the phrase commonly used by Pinoy netizens to remember Presdient Marcos’ martial law and its dark period in Philippine history.
Kami din will #NeverForget
— Tracie ₆₁₄ ✨ (@traciethediva) March 10, 2019
“So Sandro will also enter politics? Well, what’s new. Hahaha,” said @manggsdeleon.
In June 2015, Sandro said that political dynasties are “natural.” However, he said that he was still undecided on whether he would also be joining politics.
So papasok din sa pulitiko yang si Sandro? Well whats new. Hahaha
— Melai (@manggsdeleon) March 10, 2019
Sandro became the object of netizens’ ire in 2016 because of a lot of problematic tweets during and after the elections. This includes him tweeting President Marcos’ victory sign when the latter’s body was hurriedly buried at the Heroes’ Cemetery in November 2016.
He drew GoT references then, too, and was even compared to the bratty (and evil) Joffrey Baratheon. One netizen said Sandro was like Joffrey who was “eager for the throne that he does not deserve.”
@carmiraymundo eager for the throne that he does not deserve (well, for me)
— 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 (@Efre57) May 10, 2016
Who knew GoT could be so relatable.
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