MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – An all women’s group of Martial Law victims went to Malacañang on Tuesday, August 30, to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to change his mind on the decision to allow the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Women from Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation and Claimants 1081 brought with them a letter of appeal to Duterte, signed by 5,000 petitioners.

“We students, teachers, priests and nuns, activists, good governance and human rights advocates and ordinary Filipinos, stand with Martial Law victims and claimants against granting a hero’s burial to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” the letter reads.

“As citizens, we plead with you to finally end all plans of burying Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan and to urge the Marcos family to permanently bury Mr Marcos in Ilocos,” it says.

Martial Law victim Hilda Narciso, former executive director of Claimants 1081, said they want to know if the President shares the sentiment of the victims of human rights violations.

“Gusto lang namin s’ya personally makausap sa level ng pagiging biktima ng Martial Law,” she said. (We just want to talk to him personally on the level of us being victims of Martial Law.)

“We want to know if he has a sentiment for us,” said Narciso, who was raped and imprisoned in Davao during the Marcos regime.

Although they were not able to speak with Duterte himself, they were received by Assistant Secretary Bebeth Somozo of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

Apology

The women reiterated that burying Marcos at the national shrine wouldn’t pave the way for the healing process.

Fe Mangahas, who was among those who gathered in Malacañang, said that an apology from Marcos’ heirs would allow them to move on.

ML victim Fe Mangahas says healing will only start when the Marcos family apologizes for human rights violation pic.twitter.com/UYHq7raRt6

— Patty Pasion (@pattypasion) August 30, 2016

“[Bongbong Marcos] should at least acknowledge that there were violations of human rights. Also that when there was Martial Law, a lot of people suffered
– maybe not the entire nation but a significant section of the nation,” she said, referring to the only son and namesake of the late dictator.

The victims’ dialogue in Malacañang comes a day ahead of the oral arguments before the Supreme Court on the consolidated petitions opposing the state interment for the late dictator.

The High Court earlier issued a status quo ante order, banning the planned interment until September 12. 

Narciso said they believe the SC would favor them, considering that they have raised strong arguments.

The ladies, together with other members of the Coalition Against Marcos’ Burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani, held a vigil Tuesday night at Loreto Church where they will stay until Wednesday morning before they head to the SC to wait for the results of oral arguments. – Rappler.com