Andanar an ‘incorrigible brat’ for not understanding martial law—Lagman

Philippines Presidential Communications Office chief Secretary Martin Andanar. AP File Photo

A lawmaker who petitioned against the hero’s burial of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos scored Communications Secretary Martin Andanar for calling the petitioners “temperamental brats.”

In a press briefing of the “Magnificent Seven” minority bloc on Tuesday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said he welcomed Andanar’s apology and clarification that the latter did not mean to belittle the victims of martial law atrocities.

READ: Andanar: Not my intention to trivialize struggle of martial law survivors 

But Lagman did not shy away from returning the term “brat” against Andanar.

Lagman said Andanar is an “incorrigible brat” for failing to understand the history of martial law.

“That apology is welcome, but it’s Andanar who is an incorrigible brat, because he fails to understand history with respect to Marcos, with the martial law atrocities,” Lagman said.

“Incorrigible” is defined as a tendency of not being able to be corrected, improved or reformed.

Lagman said Andanar in his column justifying the Supreme Court decision allowing a hero’s burial to Marcos “is a perpetuation of injustice as well as impunity against the victims of the Marcos regime.”

Lagman’s brother Hermon, a human rights lawyer, was a victim of enforced disappearance during the martial law regime.

READ: Lagman on Marcos burial: Libingan for heroes, not for plunderers

In his column at the Inquirer entitled “An appropriate burial,” Andanar slammed the critics of the Supreme Court decision allowing Marcos a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, calling them “temperamental brats” who couldn’t respect the Supreme Court decision and who “threaten” the court with appeals to keep the issue alive.

READ: An appropriate burial

In striking a parallel with the protests in the US against the election of Donald Trump, Andanar said: “Both the Americans protesting the outcome of a fair election and the Filipinos objecting to the well-considered ruling of our own Supreme Court are undermining institutions. They are temperamental brats refusing to concede to the outcome of regular processes.”

Andanar said President Rodrigo Duterte in supporting the move only wants to bury the issue that has divided the country.

READ: Duterte stands firm on Marcos burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani 

“(T)here are those who do not want the issue to be settled. Some of the petitioners threaten to file a motion for reconsideration, which is their right although it is also a means to keep this burning issue aflame. The legal issues might be, for all intents and purposes, fully settled. But there are those who think preventing the burial is a form of redress worthy of keeping the nation divided,” Andanar said.

READ: Pimentel tells Andanar: Review your history | Makabayan hits Andanar for belittling martial law atrocities 

Andanar’s statement had irked Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and the Makabayan bloc for his failure to understand the history of the brutal two-decade Marcos regime.

In granting Marcos’ burial, the Supreme Court voting 9-5 said there was no grave abuse of discretion on the president’s instruction to give Marcos a hero’s burial as a former president and soldier.

READ: SC: ‘No grave abuse of discretion’ by Duterte on Marcos burial 

But magistrates who dissented said it would be illegal to give a hero’s burial to Marcos who had been adjudged by history and the court as a plunderer and a dictator. JE

READ: Sereno: Marcos burial would be antithesis of symbolic reparation | Leonen: Marcos is no hero; Libingan burial illegal