Protests against Marcos burial set on Friday
The protest against the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani this Friday, November 25, will be held at Luneta Park in Manila.
Marcos was buried quickly last November 18 at the heroes cemetery after the Supreme Court dismissed petitions against this on in a 9-5 ruling on November 8. But the petitioners claim the decision was not final and executory.
Bagyong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) chairperson Carol Araullo urged Filipinos to join the Black Friday Protest at 4 pm.
"This is the Filipino people’s fight now. Let us raise our voice and make our stand ? Marcos is a thief, a fascist and dictator. Marcos is no hero," said Araullo in a statement.
"Let us gather in Luneta at 4 pm, and in other public spaces in the country, in a demonstration of defiance and collective indignation directed at the Marcos family, the Supreme Court and President Rodrigo Duterte who enabled the hero’s burial."
Critics of Marcos promised to mobilize thousands to send a strong message to Duterte about their displeasure on Marcos' burial which they said, insulted victims of the former president's regime.
They also criticized the Marcos family and the government for keeping the former dictator's burial under wraps.
Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa directed anti-riot cops to exercise maximum tolerance.
"Smile, wave and be happy," Dela Rosa said. "We are prepared for that. We will exercise maximum tolerance in what they would do."
Around 100 cops have been guarding the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City since the interment of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the cemetery last week.
Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, head of the Southern Police District, said personnel from their civil disturbance management unit have been stationed outside the premises of the cemetery from 6 am to 6 pm since the interment of Marcos' remains last Friday, November 19.
Security inside heroes cemetery falls under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
"When the cemetery closes at 6 pm, we also leave," Apolinario said in a news briefing in Camp Crame on Tuesday.
But the police are on call and ready to respond if Marcos' critics hold a lightning rally in the evening.
Security personnel had their hands full when about 3,000 Marcos loyalists joined the former dictator's family for a Mass Saturday morning.
"That is difficult to manage. That is the concern of the management," Apolinario said. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS
