Marcoses willing to compromise on FM burial

MANILA, Philippines –  Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. reiterated yesterday his appeal to President Aquino to grant his father and namesake, the late President Marcos, a state burial to take away yet another issue that divides the nation.

In a statement, Marcos stressed that his family has no intention of adding to the problems of the President and that they have always been “willing to explore any reasonable compromise wherein the late President be finally given a proper state burial.”

“The issue of my late father’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has once again surfaced and is obviously as controversial as it was since his passing,” Marcos said.

“I sincerely believe that this is an opportunity to finally put behind us old issues that divide us and galvanize our countrymen to move our nation forward towards a better future for all Filipinos.”

He explained that his father deserves a state burial by virtue of his services as a soldier during the Second World War, being a former commander-in-chief and twice elected president.

The issue of the burial of the former president at the Libingan ng mga Bayani came up following the burial of former Defense secretary Angelo Reyes there last weekend.

If Reyes, who took his own life after being accused of corruption during his stint as Armed Forces chief of staff, was given a hero’s burial, Marcos argued that his father should be accorded the same treatment because of his achievements.

Marcos said the denial of a state burial for Marcos was purely a political decision and that the President could easily rectify the situation with a stroke of a pen.

His colleagues in the Senate also gave their support to the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who served as the former president’s defense minister, said there should be no question about Marcos being buried at the Libingan.