AFP suspends preparations for Marcos burial at Libingan

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has suspended burial preparations for the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief, yesterday said suspension of preparations was in line with the status quo ante order issued by the Supreme Court with a 20-day effectivity on the hotly debated burial issue.

“There is a status quo ante order which means that everything will have to be suspended and everything will have to be reverted to how it was before,” Arevalo said.

He added the suspension covers everything from the directive issued by the Department of National Defense (DND) to the AFP to implement the planning for the interment of the former president.

The DND, acting on the verbal orders issued by President Duterte, had directed the AFP to commence preparations for Marcos’ burial at the heroes’ cemetery.

In return, the AFP issued an order to the Philippine Army to make the necessary preparations for burial of the deposed president.

“At the very moment that the status quo ante order was issued by the Supreme Court, the AFP readily complied with it as a manifestation of its respect to the majesty of the court,” Arevalo said.

Various groups opposed to the burial of the late strongman at the Libingan filed a petition before the high court seeking to bar his interment at the Libingan on grounds that he was not qualified being a dictator and author of martial law.

Earlier, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., bared that his father, whose remains now lie in state at the Marcos Mausoleum and Museum in Batac, Ilocos Norte would be finally buried at the heroes’ cemetery on Sept. 18.

The young Marcos said that President Duterte has already given his approval for his father’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

President Duterte himself declared that the late strongman was qualified to be buried at the LNMB because he was a soldier and a former president.

He added that he himself would attend the burial in an event the Supreme Court (SC) rules in favor of the Marcos family and allows them to bury the late strongman at Libingan.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV asked yesterday the Supreme Court to decide quickly on petitions to stop the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery.

The senator said the status quo ante order was a good sign for him and others opposing a hero’s burial for Marcos.

“We’re hoping that the SC can decide already regarding the matter. And many of us who are against the burial are waiting for the Supreme Court to have a definitive decision on the matter,” Aquino said.

Sen. Leila de Lima hailed the SC order, calling it a significant victory for those against the burial.

“This means that the issue is not a purely executive decision, but involves the people, especially those who suffered and sacrificed their lives during the dictatorship,” De Lima said. - With Paolo Romero