The head of the Philippine military said Thursday there is nothing illegal in last week’s burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng Bayani.

General Ricardo Visaya, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, said: “The Marcoses would like the former president to be buried with solemnity and privately so we have to respect that.”

“Their call on when they wanted to bury the president, that’s their call. We just have to assist and we have to implement whatever is the decision of the Supreme Court. Is there any illegality? There’s no, I don’t think so,” Visaya said.

Visaya is one of the respondents on the petition for contempt that was filed by a leftist group before the Supreme Court last Monday.

“We respect everybody, their complaint to us, if they (petitioners) would like us to be seen in jail so be it, okay, we will respect that,” Visaya said.

Amid plans to conduct large protest against Marcos burial Friday, Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs chief, said the military has around 200 troops that may be deployed to support the police in managing the protest.

“We're hoping for the best but we are preparing to be deployed and to perform what we will be asked to perform in terms of maintaining order, in terms of maintaining discipline on the areas were freedom of expression will be exercise,” Arevalo said. Robina Asido/DMS