President Rodrigo Duterte stood by his decision to allow the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Before leaving for Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, November 9, Duterte said that he would follow what the law says.
“As I have said, as a lawyer, I will stick to what the law says. The law says if the soldiers and ex-presidents kung namatay—miski hindi siguro ex basta president ka—doon ka ilibing,” he said.
As for the Martial Law victims who are still against the dictator’s burial at the heroes’ cemetery, Duterte said that Marcos has not been convicted of human rights violations by any court.
“That part of the sins of Marcos have yet to be proven by a competent court,” Duterte added.
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When he saw former Senator Bongbong Marcos at the Yolanda commemoration on Tuesday, November 8, in Tacloban City, Duterte said he gave the go signal to continue with the preparations for the burial.
On whether Marcos is a hero, Duterte said “it depends on the beholder.”
Duterte noted how the Ilocanos were “sad” over the refusal to bury Marcos at the Libingan, adding that many people noticed the discipline and clean streets during the first few years of Martial Law.
He also said that it was only on the latter part of the regime, when Marcos got sick, that the dictator lost control of the government.
However, a Duterte ally, Senate President Koko Pimentel said that he will try to change Duterte’s mind about the burial.
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“I can bring this up and say the legal battle is over, and is back to the political arena. Hence, he is the number one political figure in the country and the power actually belongs to him to decide to pursue or abandon the plan,” Pimentel said.
In their potential meeting on Monday, he might try to discuss the issue with the President, with the optimism that just like how Duterte changed his mind on the Paris climate pact, he might change his mind too regarding the Marcos burial.
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, news.abs-cbn.com, gmanetwork.com)
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