Sen. Marcos thanks President Duterte, SC on burial ruling

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 8 (PNA) -– Former Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday thanked the Supreme Court and President Rodrigo R. Duterte for allowing the burial of his father at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The young Marcos, who was in this city when the High Court ruled on the issue, said the decision is the first step towards the healing process that politically divided the country for decades.

“We are thankful to those who acknowledged the right of my father. We thank President Duterte for strongly supporting the rule of law,” said Marcos, who joined survivors during the third year commemmoration of super typhoon "Yolanda" here on Tuesday.

For him, the ruling is an early Christmas gift not only to their family, but also to the country as an act of “healing and unification.”

Efleda Bautista of Bayan Muna Eastern Visayas, however, expressed disappointment over SC’s decision to allow the burial of the former dictator at the heroes’ cemetery. “I hope they have considered the suffering of martial law victims in that ruling,” she said.

Voting 9-5, the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, allowed the burial of former strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, dismissing the petition filed by human rights groups and victims of martial law. (PNA)

LAP/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA