Collaboration, not collusion–AFP

The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Wednesday insisted there was no collusion between the military and the Marcos family in the burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani last week.

“There was no collusion, only collaboration and cooperation,” Gen. Ricardo Visaya told a news conference at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Visaya said he did not know the burial date, as he was in Israel on Friday when the remains of Marcos were transferred to Libingan from a mausoleum in his hometown, Batac, in Ilocos Norte province, and entombed with military honors.

He said, however, that the military agreed to the request of the Marcos family to keep the burial secret and private.

Visaya denied that the Philippine Army had to seek clearance from the Marcoses for visitors’ requests to visit the tomb at Libingan.

But he stressed that visitors must first seek Army clearance and comply with military regulations when visiting the tomb, as the cemetery is guarded by Army personnel.

Visaya also said the decision on how the tomb was to be built was left entirely to the Marcos family, as long as it was within the 10-meter-by-10-meter plot allotted by the AFP.

He said it was up to the Philippine National Police to deal with the “Black Friday” protest against the burial.