This is Imelda Marcos
(the wife of Philippine Dictator, Ferdinand Marcos).
"They call me corrupt, frivolous. I am not at all privileged.
Maybe the only privileged thing is my face. And corrupt?
God! I would not look like this if I am corrupt.
Some ugliness would settle down on my system."
-Imelda Marcos
(cited in Beatriz Romualdez Francia's Imelda: A Story of the Philippines)
The Marcos couple was in power the year before I was born and stayed in power until I was a sophomore in college.
We were trained from a very young age to hate the Marcoses
(and rightly so).
We actively participated in ballot box guarding during elections (when the dictator, pompously confident that he could rig the elections decided to allow elections),
We freedom marched, strung banners in support of ANY opposition, boycotted whatever we had to and started a noise barrage in our neighborhood to express outrage.
The other day, I got this picture from my friend, Aimee Alampay (Kowalak).
After her wedding celebration in the Philippines,
she and some of our other good friends bumped into Imelda.
(arrow pointing to her)
Liesl Lim, John,Jeff,Aimee,Imelda,Missy Jurado,Jojo,Mariza Gatmaitan &Jet Custodio
I showed Steve the photo and he said
"now why would they allow themselves to be photographed with her???"
I explained,
There is some charm to the psychopathic nature of Imelda that makes people forget for a minute who she is.
When I was 16, my family and I attended a Bolipata concert.
Imelda, a Bolipata Trio fan, was also there.
At the end of the concert, we were somewhat instructed to stay in our place until Imelda walked out surrounded by her 20 or so bodyguards.
Without any warning, my brother Peter, stepped onto the aisle and extended his hand.
I swear to God the entire concert hall froze.
There may have been some people that instinctively ducked down,
bodyguards with hands on their weapons and all--but Imelda, I hate to use the word regal--but,
she regally accepted this crazy man's attention and extended her hand graciously.
She exchanged a few words with him...before she was quickly escorted out.
We were stunned.
My siblings and I were just upset that Peter acted like a fan--
Our father on the other hand looked ashen, clutched his heart before berating his son with clenched teeth, not for honoring the woman,
but because he was frightened that the seemingly innocent gesture almost caused Peter his life.
It has been said many times that sociopaths are notoriously charming people.
Heck, I would have posed with her...and I am sure that Steve would have too.