House leaders say motion to exhume Marcos’ body won’t fly
Amid protests, former President Ferdinand Marcos is finally laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani as family members gather during the private burial rites on Friday. —PHOTO FROM FERDINAND E. MARCOS PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
Leaders in the House of Representatives on Monday said they don’t believe the motion to exhume the remains of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos would fly in court.
In a press conference at the House, Ilocos Sur. Rep. Eric Singson, a deputy speaker, said he does not think the Supreme Court would allow the exhumation of Marcos’ remains after the latter was buried secretly at the Libingan ng mga Bayani last Friday.
READ: Lagman: Ask SC to exhume Marcos’ body to check if wax or not
Singson said this was because the Supreme Court had already allowed the dictator to be given a hero’s burial, whether or not the decision was final and executory.
He urged the public to leave Marcos in peace and let this “political issue” be put to rest.
“Dun sa Supreme Court, baka hindi na yan pagbibigyan kasi mayroon na silang decision na ginawa. So yung paglilibing, hindi matatapos ang debate diyan. Kasi nga politikal ito. Sa palagay ko lang, it would be history that would really decide kung ano nga si Marcos,” Singson said.
WATCH: Marcos buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani
“In the meantime, palagay ko let us not make this issue (divide us). Tanggapin na lang natin itong issue na ito… Huwag na nating pag-awayin to divide the whole nation,” Singson said.
Singson said in Filipino culture, it would be cruel and insensitive to exhume the remains of a person.
“It’s something very hard for the family to accept, not just the family, but everyone and the Filipino people. Hindi ata pumapayag ang mga Pilipino na huhukayin uli ang patay,” Singson said.
“It is something sacred to us, yung paglilibing. Medyo mabigat yung huhukayin mo uli ang bangkay,” he added.
READ: Lagman to file motion Monday to exhume Marcos ‘body’
For his part, Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, a deputy speaker, said the Supreme Court could not grant such a motion because this was not originally part of the cause of action sought by the petitioners.
“Kung gusto man nila subukin kung ito’y pagbibigyan ng Supreme Court, kailangan magfile sila ng panibagong petition na ibig nilang hukayin ang nailibing na dating pangulong Marcos,” Castro said.
It was Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a petitioner in the Marcos’ burial case, who filed a motion to exhume the body Monday in order to determine if the interred remains were the bones or the wax figure of the dictator.
Lagman also said the hasty secret burial was “premature, void and irregular” because the Supreme Court decision was “indubitably not final and executory, and the lifting of the Status Quo Ante Order, an accessory directive, was also not yet final.”
Lagman also sought the Supreme Court’s nod to have the Marcos family cited in contempt for conspiring with the military and police in preparing the “premature and clandestine Marcos burial.” RAM/rga
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