SC postpones Marcos Burial

Photo by Ali Vicoy

Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order (SQAO) that orders the government to stop for 20 days the burial of the late and former dictator President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

According to Spokesmen Theodore Te, the SC has reset the oral argument to August 31, instead of today (August 24), on the six consolidated petitions from different groups that aim to stop the burial.

The SQAO refers to “the state of affairs that preceded the onset of a controversy”.  It was granted to the respondents in the six petitions.

The Office of the Solicitor General earlier already asked the SC to dismiss the petitions because on top of other procedural and substantive arguments, the challenge against the decision of the President to bury Marcos in the LNMB is a political question that cannot be resolved by the SC.

“In essence, petitioners assail the wisdom behind President Duterte’s decision to inter the remains of a former President at the LNMB, made pursuant to the constitution, laws, rules, and regulations,” said the OSG.

The OSG also stressed that, “It should likewise be emphasized that President Duterte’s order to allow former President Marcos’ interment at the LNMB is based on his determination that it shall promote national healing and forgiveness, and redound to the benefit of the Filipino people. Surely, this is an exercise of his executive prerogative beyond the ambit of judicial review.”

The Marcos heirs has expressed their support to the justification of the government. They also asked the petitioners to clearly point out unmistakable rights or grave injury that they would then suffer if the interment pushes through.

“Allegations of violations of human rights personally experienced by petitioners and of others, in general, after declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, are denied. Apart from being irrelevant to the issue at hand, the allegations may not be assumed as facts but needs to be established with competent evidence,” they added.

Source: Manila Bulletin

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