Diokno resigns as NHCP chair over Marcos burial

MANILA, Philippines — National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Chairperson Maria Serena Diokno resigned from her post over the hero's burial of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

 

According to Diokno, the burial of Marcos at the Libingan erases the memory of the lives lost and destroyed during his regime, and mocks the collective action the Filipinos took to oust him.

 

 

The state's top historian also said that President Rodrigo Duterte could have taken the "higher ground" despite the decision of the nine members of the Supreme Court to allow the burial of Marcos "but he chose not to."

 

Diokno added that Duterte justified his action by falsely claiming that "there's no study, no movie about it [Marcos's record as leader], just the challenges and allegations of the other side," as stated by Duterte last November 18 in a televised interview.

 

"For a moment, I thought I could remain at the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and protect our history from those in and out of the government who attempt to deface it," Diokno said.

 

She mentioned, however, that the Filipino youth who came forward "in defense of History" only point to the realization that the Filipinos will guard history.

 

 

Diokno submitted her resignation on Tuesday. It will be effective on Thursday, December 1.

 

She added that she would be joining the scheduled anti-Marcos burial protest on Wednesday.

 

"Tomorrow I will join the popular assertion of our history and look forward to more in as many public venues possible."

 

"Never again will we allow any remnant of the authoritarian past to take hold of the country," she said.