President Duterte paid his respects to his late predecessors on the eve of All Saints’ Day by sending flowers to their tombs.
Wreaths of white and red flowers were laid out at the tombs of Presidents Carlos P. Garcia, Elpidio Quirino and Diosdado Macapagal at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
“Rodrigo Roa Duterte” was written on the white ribbon, which was stamped with the presidential seal.
Lt. Col. Edmundo Suficiencia, commanding officer at Libingan, said he wasn’t aware when the flowers arrived.
Proposed Marcos tomb
Beside the former Presidents’ tombs at Section A was an area enclosed by green iron sheets, the proposed grave site for the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
While there were no flowers around this plot, a concrete doorway had been added, apparently a feature of the tomb built before preparations were halted by the Supreme Court in September.
Suficiencia said there had been no protesters or visitors to the site since the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order to stop the burial of Marcos at Libingan.
Civil society groups, human rights organizations and victims of martial law abuses oppose the burial of Marcos at Libingan.
Mr. Duterte said during the campaign for the May presidential election that he would allow the burial of Marcos at Libingan.
The Marcos family supported Mr. Duterte’s campaign for Malacañang.
For Cory and Ninoy, too
Mr. Duterte also reportedly sent flowers to the tombs of President Cory Aquino and Sen. Ninoy Aquino Jr. at Manila Memorial Park.
His wreaths were also seen at the tombs of Presidents Ramon Magsaysay and Sergio Osmeña at Manila North Cemetery.