This is Not Over - Liberal Party Warns

The Marcos family is mistaken in thinking that the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani will bring closure to human rights issues and lead to unity among Filipinos, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Friday.

"Kung inaakala nila na ito'y closure, nagkakamali sila. Dahil ang katunayan, muling binuksan ang mga sugat ng pang-aabuso, ang sugat ng torture, ng rape, ng pagpatay, ng pag-abduct na naranasan ng tens of thousands, libu-libo, ng ating mga kababayan," Pangilinan, the president of the Liberal Party, told a press briefing moments after Marcos' surprise interment at the heroes' cemetery.

"Kung akala nila mananahimik na at magkakaroon na ng pagkakaisa sa ating lipunan dahil dito sa paglibing sa mga libingan ng mga bayani, nagkakamali sila," he added.

Pangilinan said allowing the burial to take place made a "laughing stock" of the Philippines as it disparaged the historic uprising that ended Marcos' dictatorship in 1986.

"Kahiyahiya at katawa-tawa. Sabi ko nga, magiging laughing stock tayo sa buong mundo dahil pinatalsik natin yung diktadura nung 1986 dahil sa pang-aabuso, pagpatay, pagnakaw, at ngayon nililibing natin sa Libingan ng mga Bayani," he said.

UP professor Susan Villanueva believes the secretive nature of the burial befitted Marcos' nature as a thief and a dictator.

"Itong libing na ito parang libing para sa magnanakaw, 'di ba? Libing ba ito ng bayani? Ang paglilibing ba sa bayani e sinisikreto, tinatago, kinahihiya?" she said.

By burying Marcos in secret, Villanueva said, the Marcos family showed their inability to counter public sentiment against the former dictator.

"Alam nila yung damdamin ng taumbayan, natatakot sila sa damdamin ng taumbayan. Hindi nila mabigyan yung diktador ng libing na gusto nila dati kaya tuloy, na-pwersa sila ng ganitong kalihim," she said.

"There was admission in their part na hindi nila kayang bigyan ng libing na para sa isang bayani yung dating diktador," Villaneuva added.
Pangilinan said the LP will not file a motion for reconsideration with the SC to relocate the remains of Marcos, but will be in support of groups who will file the necessary petitions.

Along with Pangilinan and Villanueva, visual artist Toym Imao believes the burial of the late dictator transcended political divisions and could only be combated by a united front.

"The government through its aiding the Marcos family has whitewashed the historical legacy, although dark, ng pamilyang Marcos sa bansa na ito," Imao, whose family was affected by the burning of Sulu during Martial Law, said.

"Wala po itong kinikilalang alyansa, party lines. I think this is something that we can bond [over] together. 'Di na po tayo magkukulayan kasi yung nagkulay dito e yung gobyerno eh. Kinulayan nila ng puti yung napakasamang history sa ating bansa," he added. —KBK, GMA News

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said that while late former President Ferdinand Marcos would be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Friday, the remains of the deceased dictator won't remain at the heroes' shrine forever.

"Malilibing siya pero hindi ibig sabihin na mananatili siyang nakalibing dun," said Pangilinan, who was recently installed as president of the Liberal Party.

The remains were scheduled to be interred at noon on Friday in surprise rites that were only confirmed in the morning.

Pangilinan promised that all legal and political means will be pursued to get the Marcos remains out of the LNMB.

Victims of abuses during the Martial Law regime and human rights advocates have opposed the burial, saying that the late strongman did not deserve to be honored.

But the Supreme Court last week ruled to dismiss petitions seeking to stop it, voting 9-5-1.