Ramos ‘felt very bad’ over Marcos burial, an ‘insult’ to soldiers

FINAL TRIBUTE. Military officers and the Marcos family give a final tribute to Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani. PHILIPPINE ARMY

Former President Fidel Ramos on Monday said he felt very bad over the clandestine burial of  late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, calling it an “insult” to retired and active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The martial law enforcer turned Edsa hero, a war veteran himself, said Marcos’ interment at the heroes’ cemetery last Friday was a “trivialization of the role and sacrifices” of soldiers and policemen who fought during the military-backed Edsa People Power Revolution, as well as to those who are currently in the ranks.

“I felt very bad. I felt very bad especially for the veterans as well as the lot of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, veterans, retirees, as well as members of the Philippine National Police which I commanded some time ago. The veterans must be respected and recognized in our country,” Ramos said at a press conference in his office in Makati City.

Ramos served as chief of the Philippine Constabulary, predecessor of the Philippine National Police, who helped Marcos plan martial rule but later withdrew his support from the dictatorship.

Protests erupted in various parts of the country following the secrecy-shrouded burial of the deposed tyrant at the heroes’ cemetery in Manila, even as an appeal on the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing the interment was still being readied under court rules. The burial, which was marked by full military honors including a 21-gun salute, came 30 years after Marcos was toppled in the historic Edsa revolt that ended his two-decade regime, which was marred by human rights abuses and corruption.

Ramos said the Marcos family should have sought an extension from succeeding governments of the memorandum of understanding that former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos signed with his administration concerning the return of Marcos’ remains to the country.

When he was President, Ramos allowed the return of the body of Marcos, who died in exile in Hawaii, to the country given the following conditions: (1) The body would be flown straight from Hawaii to Ilocos Norte; (2) Marcos would be given honors befitting a major, his last rank in the Armed Forces of the Philippines; (3) Marcos’ body would not be paraded in Metro Manila; and (4) There would be no burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Ramos reiterated his call for an apology from the Marcos matriarch for the atrocities committed during law, adding that the family’s remaining ill-gotten wealth should be used for humanitarian purposes.

“Sana naman yung naiwan pa o hindi pa nakikita na hidden wealth, ay can be contributed for humanitarian purposes, at the same time restitution of the claims of the descendants of the victims. But before that I said sana naman ‘yung head of the family will make an apology, hindi yung nagsasabi na, eh maliit pa ako na bata noon,” he said.

READ: Imelda knew everything about martial law; Imee was no baby–Ramos

Asked about what he thought should be done to Marcos’ body now that it was buried at the LNMB, Ramos said the “ball is now in the court of the Supreme Court.”

“It’s not for me to say this or that,” he added.

Earlier this month, the high tribunal junked all petitions against President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bury Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery as part of his campaign promise, despite strong opposition from martial law victims, rights advocates and the general public./rga

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