FVR wants soldiers, cops in Marcos burial probed for ‘disloyalty’

Former President Fidel Ramos: I see connivance in Marcos burial.
(Photo by Roger Tingle/Contributor)

Former President Fidel Ramos on Monday called for an investigation of soldiers and policemen involved in the surreptitious burial of deposed tyrant Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

In a press conference in his office in Makati City, Ramos said some members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police should be sacked if necessary for “disloyalty” to the service and “conniving” with the Marcos family.

“The scheme of the Marcos family with a connivance with some elements of the Armed Forces, including the national police, some only and not everybody, is a step backward in the administration in the sense that they are losing support. They are losing friends,” Ramos told reporters.

“Bakit nagawa ‘yung sneak burial’ without the media knowing about it? There was advance planning, call it connivance, led by the Marcos family together with some local police and AFP officials. I said local because the commanders did not know, and so they were out of town. But it also included the active participation of helicopter pilots and ground personnel, including those at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” he added.

Ramos served as chief of the Philippine Constabulary, predecessor of the Philippine National Police, who helped Marcos plan  martial law, but later withdrew his support.

The late dictator was buried at the LNMB in a clandestine ceremony that took the nation by surprise, sparking protests in different parts of the country. Marcos’ burial, which happened almost 30 years after he was ousted in the military-backed Edsa People Power Revolution, was marked by full military honors including a 21-gun salute. His remains were flown in to Manila from Ilocos using helicopter from the Philippine Air Force.

Ramos said even the PNP received “advanced information” as it was able to deploy about 500 units under the National Capital Region Police Office to guard the Libingan gates. He claimed that even Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana did not know of the burial.

“Ano ang punto nitong sinasabi ko? Those military, police, and other uniformed personnel involved must be investigated, and if necessary booted out of the service because they were disloyal to the service for failing to inform their immediate commanding officers,” he said.

“I’m saying this because hindi ganyan ang Armed Forces noong panahon namin. Meron kaming chain of command,” Ramos added.

Some lawmakers, lawyers and petitioners against the interment have expressed intent to cite the Marcos family and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in contempt of court for proceeding with the burial even as an appeal to the Supreme Court ruling was still being readied under court rules.

Earlier this month, the high tribunal junked all petitions against President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bury Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery. The petitioners, who intended to file a motion for reconsideration, filed two separate urgent motions asking the court to reissue the status quo ante order (SQAO) against preparations for the burial pending finality of the ruling./rga