"Marcos Jr. and Biden to Discuss Military Ties and China Tensions in Washington"

Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, will meet with President Biden at the White House on Monday, marking a milestone for the Marcos family who were once regarded as pariahs in the international community. The meeting highlights how geopolitical interests often trump accountability concerns, as the United States seeks to counter China in the region and reestablish ties with the Philippines after strained relations under Marcos Jr.'s predecessor. Biden, who was a vocal critic of Marcos Sr. in the 1980s, now seeks to strengthen ties with the Philippines. However, the meeting has been criticized by those who lived under Marcos Sr.'s rule and warn against uncritical engagement with the Marcos family's shameful legacy of human rights violations and corruption.