English Articles
Supreme Court allows Marcos to be buried at the national heroes cemetery
Twenty seven years after his death, former President Ferdinand Marcos can now be buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani after the Supreme Court voted 9-5 to junk seven petitions from former victims of Martial Law seeking to stop his burial.
SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court found no grave abuse of discretion on the part of President Rodrigo Duterte in granting the plea of the Marcos family to bury the former leader at the cemetery.
“At bar, President Duterte, through the public respondents acted within the bounds of law and jurisprudence. Notwithstanding the call of human rights advocates, the Court must uphold what is legal and just. And that not to deny Marcos his rightful place at the LNMB,” the decision penned by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta stated.
According to Te, the tribunal said the petitioners can appeal.
With the ruling, the tribunal lifted the status quo ante order it earlier issued enjoining Duterte from ordering the remains of Marcos be buried at the heroes cemetery.
“We hope the matter will finally be laid to rest, and that the nation find the wherewithal to move forward and to continue forging a nation that is peaceable, just and fair to all,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
The son of the former dictator, ex-Senator Fedinand Marcos Jr., thanked Duterte “as his unwavering commitment to this issue sustained us these past several months.”
We are deeply grateful to the Supreme Court for its decision to allow the burial of my father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Once again, the Supreme Court has taken a magnanimous act to uphold the rule of law.
“We are deeply grateful to the Supreme Court for its decision to allow the burial of my father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Once again, the Supreme Court has taken a magnanimous act to uphold the rule of law,” said Marcos.
Marcos and his family and associates fled in the face of a Church-led coup in 1986 after ruling the country for 21 years. He died in Hawaii in 1989 as Philippines under President Corazon Aquino recreated a presidential commission to pursue Marcos’ alleged illegal wealth.
His copy lies in a refrigerated crypt in Ilocos Norte after then President Fidel Ramos allowed the return of the remains.
Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said in an interview with Daily Manila Shimbun the “nine justices hid behind narrow legal arguments and thus become pro-Marcos participants.” “The political struggle against Marcos dictatorship return has started,” he added.
The magistrates who concurred with Peralta’s ruling include Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.
Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, along with Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Francis Jardeleza and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa dissented, while Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes inhibited.
In his dissenting opinion, Leonen said:” Marcos is no hero. He was not even an exemplary public officer. He is not worthy of emulation and inspiration by those who suffer poverty as a result of the opportunity lost during his administration.”
A coalition of martial law victims said the “nine Supreme Court magistrates betrayed the martyrs and heroes who suffered and died at the hands of state forces of a tyrannical dictatorship.
A protest by various anti-Marcos groups was staged at the University of Philippines and Ateneo de Manila Tuesday evening. DMS
