MANILA, Philippines—The once unthinkable happened on Tuesday.

Two of the children of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Tuesday came to condole with Corazon Aquino’s family, chatted with two of her grandsons and shook hands with one of her daughters.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife Lisa Araneta, and his elder sister Imee Marcos arrived at Manila Cathedral at around 2:30 p.m. to pay their respects to the heroine of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled their father from power. Both women were dressed in black.

The Marcoses viewed Aquino’s remains briefly before taking seats at the front pew, just in front of some members of the extended Aquino clan.

Aquino’s grandsons, Jonpy Cruz and Kiko Dee, chatted with the Marcoses during their 20-minute stay. A few minutes later, Maria Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz came over to shake hands. The women kissed each other on the cheek.

The Marcoses also shook hands with former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino, a brother-in-law of the former President.

The elder Marcos jailed Cory Aquino’s husband, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., when he imposed martial law in 1972.

Corazon Aquino had always held the dictator as the mastermind of her husband’s assassination on Aug. 21, 1983, on his return from US exile to lead the anti-Marcos opposition.

The political upheaval unleashed by the assassination effectively ended the 20-year regime of Marcos, who fled to exile in the United States in 1986, with Aquino catapulted to power.

The dictator died in Hawaii in 1989. His wife and three children were subsequently allowed by Aquino to return home.

The Marcoses are alleged to have plundered the government coffers of up to $10 billion.

Cordial

The meeting between the Aquinos and the Marcoses was cordial and devoid of drama.

Kiko Dee said Bongbong asked him how he and the family were doing.

Civil

He said the family appreciated the Marcoses’ gesture, but added it did not mean that a reconciliation was in the offing.

“As an Aquino, I have a preconceived idea of the Marcoses, but [Marcos Jr.] was civil today,” Dee said.

“We thank the Marcoses for their prayers even though what happened between us cannot be set aside easily. But we put it aside on this day of mourning,” he said.

Other members of the Aquino family said their mother would have wanted them to receive anyone graciously.

“The last thing my mom would want is for us to be rude,” said Pinky Aquino-Abellada, one of Aquino’s four daughters.

Dee added: “My lola (grandmother) was very conservative. She believed in traditional, Christian values. That means, to some extent, loving your enemies.”

Abellada said the family had heard that the Marcoses were coming but that it was still a surprise that they came.

No snub

Aquino’s only son, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, was not around during the Marcoses’ visit. But he denied that he had snubbed them.

The senator said that when he was advised that the Marcoses were on their way to the church, he was still out writing the family’s response for the necrological rites Tuesday night.

He also said he had gone home to rest after staying at the church from Monday night until 4 a.m. Tuesday.

“They went there and condoled with us; we should appreciate [the gesture],” Noynoy told dzBB radio.

The Marcoses were mobbed by members of the media as they left the church. Bongbong only offered a brief statement: “We are here to condole with the family.”

Imee was heard saying: “We wanted to pray.”

Outside, people applauded the Marcos children. Some shouted, “Bati na kayo, ha (So you’re now friends)!”

Where’s Danding?

As unlikely mourners came to Aquino’s wake, one former Marcos ally was notably absent.

According to an insider, Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., the chair of San Miguel Corp. and Aquino’s estranged cousin, has been in the United States for at least a week to seek medical treatment.

“It’s nothing serious, just a routine checkup,” the insider said.

But the official said the San Miguel management had extended its condolences to the Aquino family and provided San Miguel products for mourners at the wake. With reports from Christine O. Avendaño and Daxim L. Lucas