Marcos family should have been more transparent — Escudero

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Friday said the unannounced burial of formerPresident Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was “wrong.”

“I think the decision of the Marcos family to clandestinely bury Marcos was wrong,” he said in a statement to media. “They should have been more transparent about it and, in fact, should have waited for the SC (Supreme Court) decision to become final.”

The public was unaware that the burial, which has been opposed by many civil society groups, would happen on Friday.

Police and military officials only confirmed that the body was already being transferred hours before the actual ceremony.

“This absence of respect for the SC and wanton disregard for the sentiments of some sectors (which transparency could have mitigated) will, sadly, just further fuel the protests and division of our country on this issue,” Escudero said. “What they did was wrong.”

The high court previously ruled that Marcos can be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayano. However, lawyers and opponents of the move argued that the the Marcos camp should wait until the ruling becomes final.

A source from the Armed Forces of the Philippines earlier said the Marcos family asked for a private burial. Military honors were also rendered.

Escudero’s father, Salvador “Sonny” Escudero Jr. was the agriculture minister of Marcos./rga

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