Duterte ally: Marcos burial goes against Ramos-era deal

Photo by Rappler

Former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan said that while he wants to protect the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, he opposes a Marcos burial in the Heroes’ Cemetery since it is prevented by a deal signed by Duterte’s supporter, Fidel Ramos during the man’s term as president.


On Saturday, August 13, Alunan said the 1992 deal stated the following:

• The Philippine government will allow the return of Marcos' remains to the Philippines on the condition that "it's flown straight to Paoay" in Ilocos Norte, from Hawaii
• Marcos "would be given honors befitting a major of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, because that was his last rank in the Armed Forces"
• Marcos' remains "will not be allowed to be paraded in Metro Manila" because the wounds of the Marcos regime "were still fresh in the minds of many people, and we could not afford bloodshed and instability during our watch"
• "Because the burial will have to be done in Ilocos Norte, there will be no burial in Libingan ng mga Bayani"

When President Corazon Aquino was still in power, she refused to let the body of Ferdinand Marcos be flown back to the Philippines after the man died in exile in Hawaii. The deal was signed in the Ramos presidency.

According to Alunan, both the government and the Marcos family agreed to this deal in 1992. He said that because the agreement is still in force, both sides should honor it.

In a separate Facebook post, Alunan also mentioned that the deal was made with the following considerations:

• "The divisiveness of the issue"
• "The potential for bloodshed at the time" that the government wanted to prevent
• "The recognition of criminal wrongdoing by his regime that led to his ouster as president and commander-in-chief; and his disqualification for burial honors in the Libingan ng mga Bayani as a logical consequence"

Alunan claims that he simply wants to protect the presidency of Duterte.

"I would like to add that we are protective of PRRD's presidency; and any issue we see that could undermine his effectiveness and erode his political capital too early in the game compels us to speak out and point the way for his consideration and appropriate action," he said.

He added that the issue is not whether Marcos deserves a hero's burial as a past president or soldier, "but whether he meets the qualifications of a 'bayani' out of respect for those who lived up to the standards of heroism till the end."

Meanwhile, Fidel Ramos, the man who signed the deal himself, suggests that the issue must be decided upon by the “people”, meaning the elected lawmakers.

"I said officially, let the people decide. Who are the people? Our representatives and senators now sitting in Congress," said Ramos, who served in the military under Marcos until turning on him in 1986.

He said the decision of the lawmakers will reflect the wants of the people.

These statements were given by Alunan and Ramos after being sent as convoys to China by Duterte.

Meanwhile, several other Duterte allies also reject the motion, including Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. MJM

Source: Rappler

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