Petitioners to SC: Advise Marcoses to put on hold preps for burial

Mara Cepeda

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Petitioners to SC: Advise Marcoses to put on hold preps for burial

LeAnne Jazul

The petitioners explain they have yet to receive a full copy of the SC decision, thus preventing them from filing their motion for reconsideration

MANILA, Philippines – Petitioners want the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the Marcos family from continuing their preparations for the interment of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani while they are still drafting their motion for reconsideration.

Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman filed this manifestation on behalf of all the petitioners on Thursday, November 10, before the SC. (READ: Supreme Court: Marcos was not pure evil)

The High Court had voted 9-5 to junk all the cases seeking to bar a hero’s burial for Marcos. (READ: ‘History lost its meaning’: Petitioners react to SC ruling on Marcos burial

In their manifestation, the petitioners said they have yet to receive full copies of the SC’s majority, dissenting, and concurring opinions, thus preventing them from challenging the ruling in court. 

They “respectfully manifested and prayed” that the SC justices would consider reissuing another status quo ante order (SQAO) on Marcos’ burial until they are able to submit their motion. 

“Considering that the subject Decision is not yet final and to foreclose the projected motion/s for reconsideration from being rendered moot by a precipitate burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, it is respectfully manifested and prayed that the Honorable Supreme Court may consider reissuing the Status Ante Order and/or advising the Respondents not to proceed with the said burial pending resolution of the motion/s for reconsideration to be interposed seasonably by the herein petitioner and the other petitioners,” read the manifestation. 

Lagman asked the High Court to advise the Armed Forces of the Philippines or Department of National Defense to hold implementation of Duterte’s order to begin preparations for the Marcos burial until the SC ruling becomes final.

The SC ruling saddened the petitioners as well as activist groups and Martial Law victims, who had argued that state-sanctioned human rights violations that occurred during Marcos’ rule made him unfit for a hero’s burial. 

The High Court’s decision, however, was celebrated by Marcos loyalists, who had waited for his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani for 27 years. (WATCH: #MarcosBurial: Emotions flow as loyalists celebrate SC ruling)

According to his daughter and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, the late dictator would have wanted only a “simple soldier’s burial.” The family has reportedly not set a specific date yet for the burial after getting the green light from the SC.

Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said the Court’s decision did not specify whether or not it is immediately executory.

The decision penned by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta held that the former president was qualified to be buried at the Libingan because he was a “former president and commander-in-chief, a legislator, a secretary of national defense, a military personnel, a veteran and a Medal of Valor awardee.” No law prohibits a Marcos burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery, the High Court said.

Read the full copy of the petitioners’ manifestation below:

 

– Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Clothing, Apparel, Person

author

Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.