Priests oppose Marcos burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani

De Lima: No legal impediment to bury Marcos heroes’ cemetery Robredo: ‘Marcos is no hero’

CATHOLIC prelates yesterday expressed opposition to the burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LMNB) in Taguig City next month.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said that pushing through with the directive will put the nation in shame.

“I am also totally opposed to the burial of Marcos in that hallowed place. It is a great insult for the nation to include this dictator among the heroes,” he said.

The prelate from Bicol added, “I am sure that in the long run, both President Rodrigo Duterte and the Marcos family will regret that they insisted on burying the dictator there for the majority of Filipinos will never cease in their opposition to the burial. More shame will befall on the Marcos family.”

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Brod- erick Papilla believed that the former dictator is not a hero.

“FM is no hero. We should not forget his abuses of power,” he said.

Papilla said that Marcos has no place in the heroes’ cemetery.

Vice President Leni Robredo supports the position of Papilla saying, “Mr. Marcos is no hero.”

“How can we allow a hero’s burial for a man who has plundered our country and was responsible for the death and disappearance of many Filipinos?” Robredo said.

For former justice secretary and now Sen. Leila de Lima, there is no legal obstacle to bury the former strongman at the LMNB.

“So far, I can see no legal impediment,” de Lima, one of the critics of Duterte, said yesterday.

De Lima admitted that there are no standards on who should be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“There are no proper standards except to enumerate on who should be buried, you know — military personnel, former presidents, former dignitaries, soldiers, etc. but no standards,” she explained.

De Lima said a bill can be filed to set specific standards who should be buried at the heroes’ cemetery.

“It’s better said than done... you know, we propose a bill on that. Can it pass? Will it be signed?” de Lima said.

Over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte said he will allow the burial of Marcos at the LMNB tentatively on Sept. 18.