If he wins the elections in May, one of the candidates in the Philippine presidential election has vowed to jail former first lady Imelda Marcos.

In comments released on Friday, labour rights activist Leody De Guzman said he would jail Marcos for a 2018 graft conviction.

“I’m not a lawyer. But if there is a basis that she should be imprisoned, we will jail Imelda. Even for just three days, I hope to put her in jail, to ease some of the anger of the people who have been robbed of their livelihood,” Mr De Guzman, one of 10 candidates vying to replace President Rodrigo Duterte, told a forum of foreign correspondents in Manila.

Ms Marcos, 92, is notorious for her collection of 3,000 pairs of shoes and was convicted of seven counts of graft in November 2018 for creating private foundations in Switzerland from 1978 to 1984 to hide her family’s illegally amassed wealth.

She was sentenced to imprisonment of six to 11 years for each count of graft, which is equivalent to a minimum of 42 years in prison.

She has been out on bail appealing her conviction.

Mr De Guzman has been trailing in the presidential candidate polls, which have been topped by former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr, the son of Imelda Marcos and former Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos.

A victory by Marcos Jr would be a remarkable comeback for his family, which was chased out of the country by a “people power” revolt 36 years ago amid widespread corruption and human rights abuses. 

(dpa/NAN)