Marcos burial promoted divisiveness, not national healing—group
Photo from Ferdinand E. Marcos Presidential Center
The burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos has promoted divisiveness and subverted the truth of the country’s history, the Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP)-Southern Luzon Region said in a statement on Thursday.
IBP-Southern Luzon Region contradicted the claims of the government that Marcos burial will promote national healing and reconciliation.
READ: Bongbong Marcos sees healing, unification after SC ruling
“This imperious display of power and entitlement by the Marcoses does nothing in furtherance of national reconciliation,” it said in a statement signed by Atty. Bienvenido L. Somera Jr., Governor, Southern Luzon Region; Atty. Gil Roberto L. Zerrudo, President Makati Chapter; Atty. Jonathan N. Mario D. Ibe, President, Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas Chapter; Atty. Rodolfo Zabella Jr., Vice-President Quezon Chapter; Atty.Rommel Fernandez, President Marinduque Chapter and Atty. Rene Grapilon, President, Occidental Mindoro Chapter.
“We cannot let this happen without destroying the very fabric that constitutes our democratic institution built on our history as freedom-loving Filipinos,” it stated.
Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) last Nov. 18 even without finality of the Supreme Court’s decision that dismissed by a vote of 9-5 the petition against the burial.
READ: Marcos laid to rest in ‘sneaky’ rites at Libingan ng mga Bayani
Calling it premature and a disrespect not only to the judicial process but to the public as well, the petitioners called for the exhumation of the body, citing the Marcos heirs and the military in contempt of court.
The IBP-Southern Luzon Region, on the other hand, said the stealthy manner by which Marcos was buried “reeks of plain arrogance, self-entitlement and disrespect for basic due process and rule of law.”
“It is an affront to our national consciousness, collective freedom and a repudiation of our people’s historical struggle against the tyranny of Martial Law under the Marcos dictatorship,” said the IBP-Southern Luzon Region.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Marcos was not a hero.
“Apolinario Mabini, Voltaire Garcia, Ka Pepe Diokno, Lorenzo Tanada, Abe Sarmiento, Claudio Teehankee, Lando Olalia, Fred Gapuz, Romy Capulong & many others are our real heroes who fought for justice, freedom & democracy,” NUPL Secretary-General Edre Olalia said.
NUPL who represented former Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo in the anti-Marcos burial petition at the Supreme Court also called on other members of the legal community to join the protest on Friday at the Rizal Park.
Assembly will be at the Supreme Court and then they will march to Luneta. RAM/rga
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