Expenses for Marcos burial ‘minimal,’ DND chief tells House panel

Former Philippine first lady and now congresswoman, Imelda Marcos, kisses the glass case of her late husband president Ferdinand Marcos. AFP FILE PHOTO

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday told the House of Representatives that the government would only spend minimal expenses  for the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

During the House appropriations committee hearing on the P178.2- billion proposed budget of the Department of National Defense(DND) for next year, Lorenzana was asked by Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago how much the government plans to spend for the transfer of Marcos’ remains to heroes’ cemetery.

Lorenzana had released a memorandum addressed to Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, General Ricardo Visaya, to make the necessary preparations and “coordinate closely with the Marcos family regarding the date of interment and the transport of the late former president’s remains from Ilocos Norte to the (Libingan ng mga Bayani).”
READ: LOOK: Memo on burial of Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani 

Lorenzana said the expenses would be minimal, covering merely the expenses of ceremonial rites.

He added that the transportation costs of Marcos to the Libingan ng mga Bayani from Batac, Ilocos Norte would be shouldered by the Marcos family.

“I think it will be purely minimal… We won’t spend anything, even the transportation of the remains of the late president Marcos, which will be shouldered by the family,” Lorenzana said.

Elago said the government should not spend a single centavo for the burial of Marcos, the longtime dictator who imposed martial law that resulted in numerous human rights violations and enforced disappearances.

“Kaya nagtanong ako tungkol rito dahil naninindigan kami na ni piso ay hindi dapat gastusin para sa isang diktador na napakaraming crimes and excesses sa taumbayan,” Elago said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has given the go-signal for Marcos’ heroes burial, fulfilling his campaign promise of putting an end to the issue that had divided the country.

Duterte said Marcos is qualified to be buried there as a former president and soldier. He also said he once voted for Marcos, and that his father worked for Marcos’ Cabinet.

READ: Duterte gives go-ahead for Marcos burial at Libingan

But Marcos’ heroes burial was questioned by martial law victims before the Supreme Court, which issued a status quo ante order stopping the burial originally scheduled for September 18 in lieu of a two-day oral argument.

The status quo ante order was extended until Oct. 18 to allow the justices to make a decision based on the merits of the case.

READ: SC extends halt order on Marcos burial

Among the lead petitioners against the Marcos burial was Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who claimed the Marcos’ family waived the late strongman’s right to be given a hero’s burial due to an agreement with then president Fidel Ramos in 1992 to bury Marcos in his hometown Batac, Ilocos Norte beside his mother’s grave, and not at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The conditions were: Marcos’ body would be flown straight from Hawaii from exile to Ilocos Norte; Marcos would be given honors befitting a major, his last rank in the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Marcos’ body would not be paraded in Metro Manila; there would be no burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

READ: Deal: Marcos burial in Ilocos | Lagman on Marcos burial: Libingan for heroes, not for plunderers

—