Drilon: Marcos burial a ‘total disrespect of judicial process’

Sen. Franklin Drilon on Tuesday condemned the secrecy-shrouded burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani as a “total disrespect of the judicial process.”

“I condemn the burial in the Libingan. The fact that, on a very frizzy excuse the court has lifted status quo ante order (SQAO), suddenly on a Friday morning they bring the remains of the former president there… The case is still pending in the Supreme Court. There is still a period for motion for reconsideration and yet they brought him there,” said Drilon, a lawyer and a former Justice secretary, in an INQ&A interview.

“This is a total disrespect of the judicial process and the fact that it has been decided is no excuse because until you’ve exhausted the period to file motion for reconsideration the period is still pending….,” he added.

In a move that took the nation by surpise, Marcos’ remains were interred at the heroes’ cemetery last Friday, even as an appeal to the Supreme Court ruling the burial was still being readied under court rules.

Earlier this month, the high tribunal junked all petitions against President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bury Marcos at the LNMB. The petitioners, who intended to file a motion for reconsideration, filed two separate urgent motions asking the court to reissue the SQAO against preparations for the burial pending finality of the ruling.

Supreme Court spokesperson Atty. Theodore Te said there was no prohibition on the burial as the decision said that the SQAO was already lifted.

Drilon echoed the disappointment of former President Fidel Ramos, a martial law enforcer turned Edsa hero, who denounced Marcos’ burial as an insult to veteran soldiers.

The Ramos government signed an agreement with former first lady Imelda Marcos to allow 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.

“I feel the disappointment of President Ramos. He knew that it was a very sensitive issue that’s why got this agreement and it was totally disregarded,” Drilon said.

Asked about the proposal of Senate President Koko Pimentel to set aside land within the LNMB for the burial of “Filipinos of historical interest” that shall be called “Libingan ng mga Makasaysayang Pilipino,” Drilon said “changing the name of the cemetery will not change anything.”

On Pimentel’s proposal, the separated are is where former Presidents of the Philippines, statesmen, dignitaries, and national artists and scientists may be interred.

“I’m not sure that is the solution, let history judge us all for what happened,” Drilon said.

I support the protests certainly. It’s very clear that the people the youth feel betrayed by what had happened. As I said, to show their disapproval is part of our constitution. Maybe this will result in our official being more careful, being more sensitive…,” he added.

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