Senators suggest renaming heroes' cemetery to end Marcos burial debate

MANILA, Philippines — At least two senators proposed changing the name of the Libingan ng mga Bayani to end the debate on the hero’s burial for the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

For Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, the heroes' cemetery should be renamed so that public perception may change. He said the cemetery is not just for heroes but also for soldiers. 

“I think dapat palitan ‘yung [pangalan ng] Libingan ng mga Bayani para hindi literal ‘yung meaning interpretation,” Lacson said in a recorded Senate interview last Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte last Aug. 7 approved the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani arguing that the late dictator served as soldier and president.

Lacson defended the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) regulations being used to defend Marcos’s burial saying that the policy was clear. His statement came after martial law victims filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the AFP regulation for violating the Constitution.

“’Yung AFP regulations malinaw na malinaw. ‘Pag former soldier it doesn’t matter kung hero ka o hindi… Ako nga entitled ako doon e, dati akong member ng Armed Forces. Kung gusto ko malibing doon [pwede] e ayoko [lang] isipin ‘yung kamatayan,” Lacson told the reporters.

The senator said there have been suggestions to change the name of the cemetery, however, he has no idea of what to call it yet.

Lacson just stressed that there used to be a presumption that if you are a soldier you are considered a hero but he admitted it might not be the case now.

On the other hand, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said Marcos is entitled to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani based on the Constitution. However, based on the name of the cemetery he said it is unacceptable for he is not considered a hero, the senator added.  

Cayetano suggested the renaming of the cemetery to resolve the issue.

“Kung completely legal issue, he's entitled pero ‘yung pangalan kasi ng libingan [ay] Libingan ng mga Bayani  and we do not consider him [one],” Cayetano said in a recorded interview.

“He had heroic moments during his life but we do not consider in totality heroic because of the things that happened to Martial Law unless palitan natin ng pangalan sa Libingan ng Bayani at Diktador baka mawalan ng problema,” he added.

Cayetano who is also the running mate of Duterte said he already discussed his opposition to the president. However, he clarified that it was not to dissuade but only to air his sentiments. He said the issue is now a public debate and urged the public to air their opinions.