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Honor Marcos — solons
AN opposition lawmaker yesterday expressed hope that President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino would reconsider his decision to reject a state burial for President Ferdinand Marcos for the sake of national reconciliation.
“While it is the President’s decision that will ultimately prevail, we remain hopeful that he will rethink his position and agree to a state burial for former President Marcos for the sake of national unity,” said Rep. Rodolfo Albano.
Earlier, Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III, a Marcos loyalist and a former minister of the defunct Ministry of Agriculture, has declared that they would remain steadfast in seeking state honors for the late President when his family decides to bury him.
Generational shift
WORD OF HONOR: An intriguing point is Sen. Bongbong Marcos’ reacting with a pained statement that President Aquino has no word of honor. In Tagalog, one would say “walang isang salita.”
This raised speculation that there must have been an understanding between the Aquinos and the Marcoses, presumably revolving around the formula proposed by Vice President Jojo Binay calling for a state burial not in the Libingan but in the Ilocos. The compromise was well received in most places.
The Marcoses must have been led to believe, especially during the 2010 campaign when Noynoy Aquino was soliciting votes for his presidential bid, that an Aquino victory would pave the way for the Marcos patriarch finally being buried with appropriate honor.
Playing to the base
Allowing a burial with full state honors for the late President Ferdinand Marcos is not “the height of injustice,” regardless of what President Noynoy Aquino says. Justice is granted by the courts, not by any occupant of Malacañang—not even one as ignorant of the separation of powers of co-equal branches of government as Aquino is.
Whatever Aquino does in connection with the controversial plan to bury the body of Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani has nothing to do with justice. For that, the people who have claims against Marcos, his family and his associates have gone to the courts, which dispense justice by their interpretation of the law.
Bongbong: Cory admin had its share of human rights violations
“I believe [Lacierda] has asked us or those in the Marcos government that are still alive (it’s not clear) to apologize to the human rights victims under martial law, but I didn’t hear anyone include the human rights victims during [Corazon Aquino's administration], including the farmers of the infamous Mendiola massacre and all the succeeding administrations including the present one,” Sen. Marcos said.
“[Lacierda] seems to play favoritism towards those victims during martial law but does not seem to care much in apologies and compensation for the victims during Cory’s time. That’s not fair to them. They should be treated the same way; and who should apologize to them?” he added.
Refusal to heal wounds
So what is the use of having Binay make a recommendation when the President had already made up his mind? It may be the President’s prerogative to finally decide on the issue, but why did he have Binay go through the rigmarole of getting the public pulse? It’s hypocritical!
It was an opportunity for President Aquino to heal wounds of long standing. He could have united the country, but he failed. Since there’s no closure to this highly divisive issue, Aquino may find it more difficult to move the country forward, fixated as he is against his predecessor—immediate and otherwise.
Get involved
In 17 years in public service, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has compiled a distinguished record of achievement as a political leader and public manager, most of it accomplished away from the spotlight.
