Marcos burial not Aquino’s priority–Palace

It appears President Benigno Aquino III is in no hurry to decide on the issue of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ burial.

Secretary Ramon Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, said on Thursday there were more pressing matters Mr. Aquino must resolve before going over the issue of where the late strongman should finally be laid to rest.

“If you think about it, there are many more urgent issues that we need to attend to before the Marcos burial, so while there are recommendations and there are opinions—and the President is mulling over many of these opinions and recommendations—I think he prefers to focus on other things right now,” Lacierda said.

Instructed by Mr. Aquino to study the matter of Marcos’ burial—whether or not he should be interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes Cemetery)—Binay proposed that Marcos be buried in his hometown, Batac, Ilocos Norte, but with military honors.

Marcos’ remains lie in a refrigerated glass coffin in Batac. His family has refused to bury him, from time to time calling on the government to allow his interment at Libingan.

Carandang said the opinions of the people concerned would have to be considered by Mr. Aquino, even after Vice President Jejomar Binay had submitted to him his proposal on the Marcos issue.

“(So) all of these have to be taken into consideration before the President makes a final decision,” Carandang said during the day’s news briefing in Malacañang.

Asked if burying Marcos quietly was one of the options, Carandang said: “I don’t know what the options are at this point. The option that’s on the table is the recommendation of the Vice President that he be buried in Ilocos with military honors, so that is what’s being considered.”