Duterte aide sees narrow SC vote for Marcos burial

The Supreme Court is expected to come up with a narrow vote on Nov. 8 on President Duterte’s order to allow the burial of President Ferdinand Marcos  at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

One of Mr. Duterte’s top political advisers expects the magistrates to uphold the presidential order,  but Bayan Muna’s Satur Ocampo, lead petitioner against a hero’s burial for Marcos, believes the court will vote in favor of victims of human rights violations during martial law.

The political adviser, who agreed to speak on his knowledge of the SC voting on the condition of anonymity, said the SC would allow the burial on grounds that there is no law barring the interment of Marcos at Libingan, and that being a former soldier and president he was eligible to be buried there.

The adviser also dismissed claims the SC justices were being pressured to toe the official line with threats of impeachment.

 ‘SC not afraid’

“All I know is that the SC will not be afraid to defy Duterte, as the latter has categorically stated that he will accept whatever decision it makes,” Duterte’s adviser said.

But Ocampo remained confident that the SC would focus on the issue—whether Marcos should be buried at the Libingan —and would not be concerned about whether the tough-talking President would be displeased by having his election promise to the Marcos family blocked by the magistrates.

“It’s not a question of justices defying the President nor of Duterte not accepting defeat. It’s doing justice for the people whose rights the dictator had violated,” said Ocampo.

“As a lead petitioner before the SC, I expect the honorable justices to rule in our favor. Apparently the preliminary vote was close, thus more time was needed to debate and get a decisive majority vote,” he added.

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the vote was too close to call but he was confident the petitioners have the upper hand.

“I think the SC decision prohibiting Marcos’ burial will not be a big deal to President Duterte. He has publicly expressed his willingness to accept the SC decision on the issue,” Colmenares said.

Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque said that his sources at the SC have refused to talk to him about the SC deliberations,  but he also expected the magistrates to block the President’s order.

“My gut feel is petition will be granted and burial in Libingan will be enjoined. That’s why I have a compromise bill to rename it as Libingan ng mga Bayani at Presidente. This will remove all obstacles,” said Roque.

 Twice postponed

The SC has twice postponed reaching a decision on the case since Aug. 29 when it issued a status quo ante order on Marcos’ burial. It first deferred its decision on Sept. 13, moving it to Oct. 18, and then postponing it again to Nov. 8.

Acting on the President’s orders, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana issued a memorandum on Aug. 7 ordering Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Ricardo  Visaya to start preparing for the interment and the transfer of Marcos’ remains to Libingan on Sept. 18 this year.

Marcos died in 1989 after three years in exile in Hawaii. His body was returned to the country in 1993 and has since been kept in the family mausoleum in his hometown of Batac, Ilocos Norte.

Five groups petitioned the SC to stop the burial at Libingan which they claimed would be an insult against victims of human rights violations under Marcos’ reign.