Philippine military resumes preparing Marcos burial site at heroes cemetery
The Philippine military has resumed its preparations for the burial site of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani even as a lawmaker asked the Supreme Court to stop the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense from doing so.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Thursday, in a manifestation to the High Tribunal, asked the Supreme Court to consider re-issuing a status quo ante order stopping the government from implementing President Rodrigo Duterte's order for the Marcos burial.
Lagman said " the subject decision is not yet final and to foreclose the projected motions for reconsideration from being rendered moot by the precipitate burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani."
Col. Benjamin Hao, Philippine Army spokesman, said preparations for Marcos’ burial resumed on Wednesday after the Supreme Court issued its decision last Tuesday dismissing the petitions against burying Marcos at the heroes cemetery.
“The construction was resumed because the status quo order is no longer exist. As protocol officer of Army, I coordinated with the Marcos family and I asked them if they have any concerns that we need to address,” Hao said.
Hao said the date for the burial has not been set.
Hao said cementing the pathway was the initial work done at the burial site for Marcos when the status quo order was issued by the Supreme Court last August.
“They (private constructor hired by Marcos family) were cementing the pathway, however it was stopped because of the status quo order. Then yesterday, they started it again,” he said.
Hao said only a tomb or statue are authorized to be built inside the Libingan ng mga Bayani but he confirmed that there is no decision on what will be built on the grave of the late president DMS/Robina Asido
