The two sides of Marcos’ Burial at LNMB

Former Philippine President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. will go down as one of the most brilliant Presidents in Philippine History. Now he was ‘surprisingly’ buried at the Heroes’ Cemetery in the Philippines. Divided reactions were flooding the internet as people from three different sides (the Pro, the Anti, and the Neutral) tells their different opinions about the Burial controversy. Was President Marcos a hero? Or was he just eligible to be buried there as permitted by the Philippine Law?

If there are two sides of a coin, so is the burial. Let’s find out!

Who was Ferdinand E. Marcos?

Late Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos was a Filipino lawyer, politician, World War II veteran and kleptocrat who was President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled as a dictator under martial law from 1972 until 1981. [Wiki]

Under so-called ‘20 years of tyrannical rule’, Marcos was able to build infrastructures that are still beneficial to the Filipinos today. To some, his regime was the ‘Golden Age’ boosting that the Philippines was the ‘second greatest country’ in Asia, but data shows otherwise that it wasn’t.

What is Heroes’ Cemetery?

From Wikipedia:

Heroes' Cemetery, officially known as Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB), is a national cemetery within Fort Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) in Western Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. 

First established in May 1947 as a fitting resting place for Filipino military personnel from privates to generals who served during World War II, it eventually became designated as the official place of burial for deceased Philippine Presidents, national heroes, patriots, National Artists and National Scientists.

Who is eligible to buried in the Heroes’ Cemetery?

Here is an article from Star:

AFP Regulations G 161-373, subject: ‘Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the LNMB,’ issued on 9 April 1986 by GHQ AFP under then AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel V. Ramos and then President Corazon C. Aquino, prescribes who are entitled to be interred in the LNMB.

Pursuant to the aforecited AFP Regulations, re-published on 11 Sept 2000 as AFP Regulations G 161-375, there are 10 catego ries of deceased persons entitled to be buried at the LNMB, namely: 

1. Medal of Valor Awardees;

2. Presidents or Commanders-in-Chief, AFP

3. Secretaries of National Defense

4. Chiefs of Staff, AFP

5. General/Flag Officers of the AFP

6. Active and retired military personnel of the AFP

7. Former AFP members who laterally entered/joined the PNP and the PCG

8. Veterans of Philippine Revolution of 1896, WWI, WWII and recognized guerrillas.

9. Government Dignitaries, Statesmen, National Artists and other deceased persons whose interment or reinterment has been approved by the Commander-in-Chief, Congress or the Secretary of National Defense.

10. Former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense, widows of former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense and Chiefs of Staff.

In the AFP Regulations, these two categories are not qualified to be interred at the LNMB: Personnel who were dishonorably separated/ reverted/ discharged from the service; and authorized personnel who were convicted by final judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude.

Now we go straight to the point.

Why Marcos shouldn’t be buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani?

So this is the ‘one side of a coin’, there are ‘many reasons’ why Marcos shouldn’t be buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

In the AFP Regulations, there are two categories that will make a personnel unqualified to be buried at LNMB:

a) Personnel who were dishonorably separated/reverted/discharged from service;

b) and were convicted by final judgment of an offensive involving moral turpitude

According to the Anti-Marcos folks (who are victims, members of the church, and loyalists of Liberal Party), President Ferdinand Marcos is not eligible to be buried at LNMB because he was:

a) ‘dishonorably discharged’ from service by the Supreme Authority of the State—which is the people who ‘ended’ the regime with the so-called EDSA People Power Revolution

b) the Marcos ‘ill-gotten wealth’ which to some is an ‘offensive moral turpitude’

The anti-Marcos forces argue that Marcos at LNMB is a violation of the law, an insult to the Filipinos, and disgusting that a thief is buried with all ‘legit’ heroes in there. The LNMB was even renamed at Google Maps.

Why Marcos should be buried at LNMB?

This is the other side of the coin where Pro-Marcos folks and neutral people meet.

Let us go back to the AFP regulations on why President Marcos is eligible to be buried at LNMB:

a) He was President, Commander-in-Chief, retired military veteran and a Medal of Valor awardee. He was even included in the ‘AFP Hall of Heroes’ way back 2011, under the Aquino admin.

In defense of Marcos, some personnel and legal scholars of the law states:

a) “Marcos was never dishonorably discharged since there was no case filed against him before the military tribunal.” - AFP Spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla. In addition to his statement, “"He did not face any military court before he left that judged that he was dishonorable.”

b) "When you are dishonorably discharged, there must be a case filed against you. Nobody can just discharge you and say, you're dishonorably discharged," says Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile

c) Former University of the East (UE) Law Dean Amado Valdez said, “I'm sure those who have been dishonorably discharged had undergone a process where an offense, whether criminal or administrative has been committed, and they have been given the opportunity to be heard and there is a process.” He also added Marcos was honorably separated from service as a soldier after the Second World War. 

Source: CNN Philippines

And to the moral turpitude part, according to the Supreme Court:

“Marcos cannot be disqualified from burial at LNMB because he was not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.”

One cannot argue that moral violations were committed by President Marcos. But the Libingan ng mga Bayani is no place for that matter, the AFP cited that ‘not all buried at LNMB are heroes’ and it all falls to the ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ aspects of this world.

Take former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Angelo T. Reyes for example, he was linked with corruption allegations then committed suicide at his mother’s grave. Angelo T. Reyes was then buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, so why can’t Marcos be buried in there too?

It is sad to think that the Marcos at LNMB is being used by politicians to further their political agenda. I heard no one protesting against Angelo T. Reyes being buried at LNMB, even the church was mum about it when in fact, suicide is a violation of their "laws".

Like what our President Rodrigo Duterte said, “Well, it seems to be a very raucous issue for the nation but I would like to pray that everybody would find a space in his heart for forgiveness.” But if you don't believe in the President’s words since some of you argue that he is morally-incapable, then why not believe in it because it is what Pope Francis said?

According to Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said that while he understands the plight of the victims of the Marcos regime, he reminded Catholics that dwelling on hate is not being godly.

"Kung tayo ay maka-Diyos, kahit na iyan ay diktador, basta patay na iyan, 'pagdasal natin ang kaluluwa niya. Ang katawan niya igalang natin," the prelate said. 

Lastly, if the Marcos burial divided us Filipinos, it is because we're all being used at one side. I can say, in my humble opinion, that this happening is a blessing in disguise, why? It will make us realize that it will unite the Filipino people if we all just give forgiveness a space in our hearts.