The Marcos family on Saturday returned to the Libingan ng mga Bayani a day after former president Ferdinand Marcos was finally laid to rest in a private ceremony.
The family, joined by their supporters, offered a mass to their patriarch as they again expressed their gratitude to the Marcos loyalists.
Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. apologized for keeping the burial rites private.
“Finally, nagawa na din natin ang hinihiling niya (Finally, we were able to give him what he wanted),” he said.
“Napakaganda naman ng naging seremonya (The ceremony was beautiful). Very dignified, very solemn kagaya ng kanyang hiniling sa atin (which is what he preferred),” he added.
READ: Marcos family thankful late President finally gets dying wish
The late strongman’s wife, former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos expressed relief that her husband’s dying wish was already fulfilled.
Imelda Marcos, widow of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, addresses hundreds of supporters following a mass at his graveyard Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, a day after Marcos was buried in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony at the Heroes’ Cemetery in suburban Taguig city, east of Manila, Philippines. Long-dead Marcos was buried Friday at the country’s Heroes’ Cemetery in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony, a move approved by President Rodrigo Duterte that infuriated supporters of the “people power” revolt that ousted Marcos three decades ago. AP Photo
“Ang araw na ito ay isang araw ng ilang dekadang hinihintay na sana mangyari na bigyan si Ferdinand Marcos, isang taong maka-Diyos at tunay walang naiisip sa kanyang buhay kundi tulungan ang kapwa at ganun din padakilain ang ating bansa,” she said.
(Finally the day came after decades of waiting for us to give this to Ferdinand Marcos, a God-fearing man who dedicated his life to help the people and make our country great.)
But the former first lady acknowledged that there would still be many challenges even after her husband’s burial.
“Alam ko si Ferdinand ngayon na matatahimik na na nandito siya sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. Ngunit alam ko marami pa tayong haharapin,” she said.
(I know Ferdinand is resting in peace now that he is buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. But I know that there are still a lot we need to face.)
The sneaky burial of the late dictator earned public condemnation, which led to various protests in Metro Manila and even in other parts of the country.
LOOK: Marcos burial protests erupt in different parts of Metro
Anti-Marcos activists asserted that the late president was a dictator, a plunderer, a thief and a human rights violator.
But Imelda said Marcos only wanted to serve the country and was always on the side of the truth.
“Malaki ang kanyang karangalan, sabi niya, na makapagsilbi sa bayan na isang presidente. Pero sa kanya, ang pinakamahalaga na kanyang maiaalay sa kanyang bayan ay bilang isang sundalo hindi lang serbisyo kundi buhay,” she said.
(He told me that he considered it a huge honor to serve the country as president. But for him, the greatest honor is to serve as a soldier and not just offer his services, but also his life.)
“Alam ko na si Marcos ay nanindigan sa katotohanan (I know that Marcos always sided with the truth) and if you’re in the side of the truth, God is in your side,” she added. IDL