Bongbong thanks Duterte over hero’s burial for Marcos

OUTGOING Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. thanked presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte yesterday for favoring the burial of his father at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, describing the move as “kind, rightful, and healing gesture.”

“We are deeply grateful to the statement of our incoming President Rodrigo Duterte favoring the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” the senator said in a statement.

“It has always been our family’s position that it is our father’s right under the law to be buried there being a soldier and a former President of this country,” he said.

Their campaign, Marcos said, has always been towards achieving unity to move the country forward.

“And it is this kind of pronouncement that we hope could end the decades of divisiveness that have been imposed upon us by our leaders,” he said.

“We would like to thank President Duterte for this kind, rightful and healing gesture,” the senator further said.

Duterte earlier said that he would allow the burial of the late dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani to eliminate the “hatreds” and divisions in the country.

“I will allow the burial of President Marcos sa (at the) Libingan ng mga Bayani not because he is a hero but because he was a Filipino soldier, period,” the reports quoted him as saying.

“Yang issue sa burial ni President Ferdinand Marcos sa (The issue of burial of President Ferdinand Marcos at the) Libingan ng mga Bayani has created division among our people… I am sure that I will erase among our people one hatred,” Duterte added.

Bonifacio Ilagan, who was detained and tortured by Marcos forces, told Agence France-Presse: “Burying him at the (cemetery) will whitewash all crimes he committed against the people and will send the wrong message to the world: that in the Philippines, crime pays.”

Ilagan said the highly emotional and symbolic burial of the dictator at the cemetery would trigger street protests.