Militants and students give a thumbs down with lawyer Democreto Barcenas (center) at the Capitol grounds. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
While militant and civil society groups held yet another rally to protest the burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, two Cebu-based martial law era activists believe the Supreme Court may favor it.
Retired judge Meinrado Paredes told reporters during the Citizens’ Assembly at the Capitol grounds yesterday afternoon that there are “conservatives inside the Supreme Court” who may favor the Marcos burial.
Paredes, a former Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge and an activist during the martial law years, said while there are those who are “conservative and sympathetic to the Marcos family” there are progressives like Associate Justice Marvic Mario Leonen.
Cebuano lawyer Democrito Barcenas said the public cannot rely on the High Tribunal following their acquittal of then president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo and their decision to allow Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to go on bail.
“We should not rely on the Supreme Court, but maybe they will be enlightened. They will be enlightened from up above. They would listen to the people, and they will study the legal points especially on the question if Marcos deserves to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Barcenas said.
Paredes admitted that what they are doing now is an “uphill battle” considering that there are only a few of them voicing their opposition against the burial.
“We don’t want to remain silent because we have experienced it. For us, he doesn’t deserve to be buried in the Heroes’ Cemetery after he plundered our wealth,” he said.
Barcenas said the SC should also consider the agreement between then president Fidel Ramos and Imelda Marcos where she agreed to have her husband’s body buried in their hometown.
“If President Duterte and (Bongbong) Marcos have an agreement, they should not include the country,” Barcenas said.
Nearly 100 people from youth and militant groups and nongovernment organizations gathered at the Capitol grounds to denounce plans to bury the late president Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said burying Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani is sickening.
“I just feel so sick how you can put Marcos, a dictator, down at the same level with these people who sacrificed their lives for the country,” Osmeña said.
While Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing supported the plan, saying it will “heal” the wounds of the past and allow the people to move forward to the future, Osmeña thinks otherwise.
“There are many Filipinos who died for our country, and it’s very symbolic for a dictator to be buried with them. It belittles the honor of all the sacrifices of all our heroes,” Mayor Osmeña told reporters yesterday./With USJ-R Intern Dafne N. Wenceslao
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