Answer motions, SC tells gov’t, AFP officials, Marcos family

The Supreme Court has asked government and military officials, and the Marcos family to answer the motion for reconsideration of its ruling allowing the burial of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

In an en banc session on Tuesday, the high court gave 10 days for the respondents—Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Rear Adm. Ernesto C. Enriquez and the Marcos family—to comment on the separate motions filed by groups led by former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.

On Nov. 8, the high court ruled 9-5 with one abstention upholding the order of President Duterte to allow the burial of Marcos at Libingan.

The majority ruling of the tribunal said the President did not commit grave abuse of discretion in allowing the burial because Marcos was qualified under AFP Regulation G 161-375 to be buried at Libingan because he was a soldier and president.

Lagman, who represented the families of martial law desaparecidos, said the sole regulation used to justify the Marcos burial was void.

Lagman also asked the high court to order the exhumation and the conduct of a forensic examination on the remains of Marcos.

The Supreme Court also directed the respondents to comment on the petition of Ocampo’s group, which included martial law victims belonging to Samahan ng Mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto, urging the tribunal to cite in contempt the Marcos family and defense and military officials responsible for the surreptitious burial of Marcos on Nov. 18 even before the court’s verdict became final and executory.