Imelda, children insist on hero’s burial for Marcos

As the 85th birthday of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos is marked today, the Marcos family has again asked the government to allow the fallen leader, who ruled the country for 20 years, to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Makati.

Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and her children, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Irene Marcos-Araneta strongly support the call for Marcos to be buried among his fellow soldiers and other heroes of the Republic, said Cherry Cobarrubias, president of the Marcos Loyalist Headquarters.

Cobarrubias said President Arroyo and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes should allow the body of Marcos to be buried at the cemetery for heroes.

"We believe that this is now the right time to allow his burial there," she said. "We believe that this is the appropriate timing for the President to do the right thing."

Cobarrubias said the granting of a military pension to Mrs. Marcos has indicated that the Armed Forces of the Philippines recognizes the military exploits of Marcos during the Japanese occupation in World War II.

"We are appealing to President Arroyo to act now because time will come that a president of our country will understand that Mr. Marcos deserves an honor fitting to a former military officer with a colorful career as a defender of the country," she said.

"We are appealing to President Arroyo and Defense Secretary (Angelo) Reyes not to deprive the late President Marcos his right to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani," she added.

Cobarrubias said the fallacious claim that the medals of valor and military exploits of Marcos were a hoax were ended when the Armed Forces granted Mrs. Marcos a military pension.

"Mr. Marcos was among the gallant Filipino (soldiers) who fought against foreign invaders, the Japanese," she said.

"He was among those gallant Filipinos who marched during the Death March in Bataan. If this request is not granted by Mrs. Arroyo, there will be a president who will understand the right and good deeds and greatness of Mr. Marcos."

Cobarrubias said Marcos was "virtually" exonerated when the US labeled the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as a terrorist organization.

"US Secretary of State (Colin) Powell himself said that they categorized the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group because since 1969 they want to overthrow the Philippine government," she said.

"Who was president at that time? It was President Marcos. It means that Mr. Marcos’ declaration of martial law was justified," she said.

Cobarrubias said those who sued Marcos for human rights violations during martial law were themselves communists.

"The late Sen. Ninoy Aquino was among the communists," she said. "Even former senator Jovito Salonga, one of the victims of the Plaza Miranda bombing in the 1971 rally of the Liberal Party, said that those behind the bombing were the communists. Ninoy’s absence in that rally was suspicious," she said.

Cobarrubias said Mrs. Arroyo will lose nothing if she allows the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, where the dog of former President Corazon Aquino has been laid to rest.

"Why not Mr. Marcos who was a former military officer who received various medals of valor after he fought with foreign invaders," she said. "I believe (Mrs. Arroyo) will do the right thing. The right thing is to bury President Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani."

Born Sept. 11, 1917, Marcos died in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sept. 28, 1989, after being overthrown by a civilian-backed military uprising led by then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and then Armed Forces vice chief and Philippine Constabulary chief Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos.

His remains were only allowed to be returned to the country in 1996 during the Ramos administration.

His body is still kept in a refrigirated crypt in a mausoleum in his hometown in Batac, Ilocos Norte.