‘Public may have allowed Marcos hero burial by voting for Duterte’

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 8 years ago

Martial law victims, lawmakers, artists, civil society groups, religious groups, students and concerned citizens gather on a rainy Sunday morning at the Luneta Park in Manila to appeal to Duterte to reconsider his decision to allow the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. TARRA QUISMUNDO / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

The hero’s burial for former President Ferdinand Marcos may have been allowed by the public when they voted for President Rodrigo Duterte, a Supreme Court Associate Justice said Wednesday.

During his campaign, Duterte already mentioned that he will allow Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB).

Duterte got over 16 million votes, which is nine million higher than second place Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

READ: Duterte seals presidency in Congress official tally

Associate Justice Jose Perez said the voters may have taken into account Duterte’s position on the matter when they voted for him.

“Is that not a decision by the sovereign itself…You are going to say what the electorate voted in favor of, we will now nullify,” Perez asked.

But one of the petitioners, former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares argued that even if the Marcos burial was part of Duterte’s campaign promise, there are basis in law to show that Duterte committed grave abuse of discretion when he ordered Marcos’ burial at LNMB.

READ: Duterte gives go-ahead for Marcos burial at Libingan

Colmenares maintained that the main basis of their petition is the Constitution, not the election results.

Aside from Colmenares, other petitioners include former party-list Representative Satur Ocampo, Trinidad Repuno, Bienvenido Lumbera, Bonifacio Ilagan, Maria Carolina Araulo, Samahan ng Ex-Detainees laban sa Detensyon at Aresto represented by Dionito Cabillas, Carmencita Florentino, Rodolfo Del Rosario, Felix Dalisay, and Danilo Dela Fuente. A total of seven petitions have been filed questioning the decision allowing the Marcos’ burial at the LNMB.

During the martial law years, thousands were arrested, tortured and summarily executed.

The petitioners said the country’s experience under the Marcos dictatorship “should not be emulated and cannot serve as an inspiration to this generation and to the next generation of Filipinos.” RAM