MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/18 November) — Vice President Leni Robredo hit the family of former president Ferdinand Marcos for hiding from public knowledge the burial Friday of the ousted strongman at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
In a statement, Robredo said the move showed disregard for the judicial process, referring to the motion for reconsideration at the Supreme Court filed by groups opposed to his burial at the Libingan.
President Rodrigo Duterte had approved the burial of Marcos at the Libingan.
Several petitioners questioned the legality of Duterte’s decision before the Supreme Court, arguing that Marcos did not deserve a hero’s burial owing to the abuses of the martial law regime.
“Like a thief in the night, the Marcos family deliberately hid the information of burying former President Marcos today from the Filipino people.
“They obviously flouted the law where the decision does not become final and executory until 15 days or the resolution of the MR,” she said.
“We are disturbed that this happened in coordination with AFP and PNP demonstrating further that the judicial process has been thoroughly disregarded,” she added.
Robredo said the sneaky burial was nothing new to the Marcoses who had “hidden wealth, hidden human rights abuses, and now, a hidden burial – with complete disrespect for the rule of law.”
She cited that in several decisions from the Supreme Court, “Ferdinand Marcos was a thief, a murderer and a dictator.”
“He is no hero. If he were, obviously his family would not have to hide his burial like a shameful criminal deed,” she concluded.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late strongman’s son and namesake, lost to Robredo in the May 2016 elections by around 200,000 votes. He has a pending election protest against the vice president. (MindaNews)