MANILA, Philippines – The body of National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi has been removed from the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery).

This was confirmed to Rappler by Philippine Army Spokesperson Colonel Benjamin Hao and Legaspi’s granddaughter Lala Gallardo.

According to Hao, the exhumation was “based on the request of the family to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last May 17, which was approved on June 22.”

The late artist’s daughter, singer Celeste Legaspi Gallardo, said last May that their family was preparing to transfer her father’s remains, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that he will allow the burial of the late strongman, President Ferdinand Marcos.

She said they wanted to carry out the exhumation before September 11, the birthdate of the dictator. 

“We’ve also always planned for him to be moved to Loyola Memorial eventually, because that’s where my grandmother is buried. Recent events gave us more reason to act on our plan,” Gallardo said. 

The body of the late President Marcos is set to be transferred from the Marcos Museum in Ilocos Norte to the honored graveyard in Taguig City.

On Sunday, August 7, Malacañang released a memorandum from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, ordering the AFP to “undertake the necessary planning and preparations to facilitate the coordination of all agencies concerned” in the interment of the late strongman at the Libingan. Lorenzana cited “verbal orders” from President Duterte. – Rappler.com