Aquino urged to give Marcos hero's burial

MANILA, Philippines - Some 204 congressmen crossed party lines in signing a resolution urging President Aquino to allow the burial of the remains of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero led the lawmakers in signing the resolution, saying he would gather at least 220 signatures from the 284-strong House of Representatives before formally filing it for approval in plenary.

“I and all of those who signed the resolution, as well as millions of Filipinos, want us to move on,” Escudero said.

He said President Aquino was in favor of the resolution and even asked members of the majority bloc in the House for support.

Escudero served as agriculture minister during the Marcos regime.

Among those who signed the resolution were Marcos widow Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Sorsogon Rep. Deogracias Ramos, Cagayan Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondoc, Laguna Rep. Justin Chipeco, Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian, Lanao del Norte Rep. Fatima Dimaporo, Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, DIWA party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay, Manila Rep. Zenaida Angping, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez, San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco.

“Without denigrating the achievement of the leaders and officials that emerged after (1986) EDSA People Power Revolution, it can never be gainsaid that Ferdinand Marcos gave invaluable service to his country as soldier, writer, statesman and commander-in-chief,” the resolution read.