Loyalists end 4-day caravan on a sad note

Young Marcos loyalists wear T-shirts with the logo of Kabataang Barangay, a youth group formed during the Marcos dictatorship. —WILLIE LOMIBAO

LAOAG CITY—Hundreds of Marcos loyalists, who went on a four-day caravan to press for a favorable Supreme Court ruling on a hero’s burial for the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, on Wednesday returned home dismayed and dejected.

The high court on Tuesday extended to Nov. 8 its status quo order preventing the Duterte administration from burying the former dictator at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Domingo Ambrocio, president of the Philippine Councilors’ League–Ilocos Norte chapter, said the loyalists are “all dismayed.”

“This trip is very tiring as we traveled a long way, stopped in churches and prayed awaiting for a decision,” said Ambrocio.

The caravan, which started in Batac City on Oct. 14, drew hundreds of Marcos supporters as it made several stops in Luzon provinces en route to the Supreme Court in Manila.

“A few volunteers started this march and we just grew and grew,” Ambrocio said.

Neil Lagundino, of the group Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association, said the loyalists are still hopeful that the Supreme Court “would see things their way.”—LEILANIE ADRIANO