SC orders gov't officials to comment on MR vs Marcos burial

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed certain government officials to submit a comment on the motions for reconsideration filed by groups of Martial Law victims asking the high court to reverse its November 8 ruling allowing the burial of the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) in Taguig City.

In a press conference, SC spokesman Theodore Te said the court directed the respondents to submit a comment on the motions within 10 days from the notice of resolution directing such a comment.

The respondents include Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Ricardo Visaya, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Rear Admiral Ernesto Enriquez, the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs of the AFP, the Philippine Army's Grave Services Unit and the Marcos heirs.

On Monday, former Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Neri Colmenares and Satur Ocampo and other Marcos Martial Law victims from Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) filed a 55-page motion for reconsideration asking the SC decision “to be reconsidered and set aside.”

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman also filed a separate 42-page motion for reconsideration on behalf of the "desaparecidos" (disappeared people) before the SC to underscore that the petitioners have up to November 28 within which to seek the reversal of the decision allowing the “mortal remains” of the late dictator to be buried at the LNMB, which they say is not yet final and executory.

“The burial of a condemned dictator, confirmed plunderer and censured violator of human rights in the Cemetery of Heroes will not lead to closure because it sanctifies evil and installs a despot and oppressor in the venerable memorial for good men,” Lagman said.

Lagman said that no closure would be achieved if it is at the expense of the victims of the brutalities and corruption of Marcos’ Martial Law regime, and for the hollow gratification and flawed vindication of a tyrant and his heirs. He said even the Marcos family waived the burial 24 years ago.

Last November 21, Ocampo and his co-petitioners filed a 17-page petition for contempt against the respondents Lorenzana, Visaya and Enriquez, saying they should be held for indirect contempt for violation of the Rules of Court.

The petitioners argued that the respondents violated Section 3 (d), Rule 71, which covers "improper conduct tending, directly or indirectly, to impede, obstruct, or degrade the administration of justice" as one of the grounds for indirect contempt.

READ: Martial Law victims ask SC to cite Marcos kin, AFP, DND officials in contempt

Meanwhile, Te also said that the high court directed that the petition for contempt of court filed by the counsel of petitioners be renumbered and consolidated with these cases after payment by petitioners of the corresponding docket and filing fees.

Te added that the court also directed respondents to comment on the petition for contempt within ten days from notice of resolution directing such comment.

The burial of Marcos proceeded last November 18 as Te earlier said there is no existing order from the SC disallowing it as the high court already lifted the status quo ante order in its ruling earlier this month. — PNA/Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan with a report from Philstar.com/Rosette Adel