Victims who endured torture and imprisonment during late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ two-decade-long reign, protest against the possible return of any Marcos to the presidential palace in Manila on February 22, 2016.
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Former first lady Imelda Marcos (R) with children Ferdinand Jr (L) and Imee (C) singing the Philippine national anthem before the flag-draped coffin bearing the remains of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos during arrival ceremonies at Laoag city airport in Philippines on September 7, 1993.
The Army confirmed Saturday it will render, as directed, military honors to former President Ferdinand E. Marcos when he is buried September 18 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) in Taguig City, an event that this early is triggering protests from martial law victims, who are planning marches and a lawsuit.
She was among the 9,539 members of the class suit against Marcos that was filed in, and won a judgment, in a Honolulu court in 1995.
Human rights groups and the victims of Martial Law have appealed to Duterte to “reconsider his decision” to confer national honors on Marcos, “a dictator, a murderer and a plunderer”.
The injustice done to them is acknowledged by the State, critics of the Marcos LNMB burial said, pointing to the law mandating compensation for thousands of victims.
“Marcos is no hero”.
Preparations are underway for the Marcos burial.
Duterte, who openly boasts of his alliance with the Marcos family, has said Marcos deserves burial in the special cemetery because he was a soldier and a president, regardless of any misdeeds.
Anti-Marcos groups are planning to mount a series of activities starting next week hoping that Duterte will change his mind.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who joined the protest, says she has filed a Senate resolution opposing a hero’s burial for Marcos, who was overthrown in 1986 and died in US exile three years later. “It will invalidate all that many heroes have spent their lives fighting for – heroes such as your beloved mother, whom we honor and remember as one of the strongest crusaders in the fight for democracy and justice”.
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But the anti-Marcos and human rights groups have opposed the plan saying the disgraced leader does not deserve a military honour and a plot in the hallowed ground.
