(Eagle News) – Former First Lady Imelda Marcos and the rest of the Marcos family returned to the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Saturday, November 19, in thanksgiving ceremonies for the burial of the late President Marcos the previous day (November 18)
Busloads of Marcos supporters from the Ilocos region also arrived to see the late President, whom they call “Apo.”
There were at least 2,000 Marcos supporters from the Ilocos region who joined the Marcos family.
Marcos’ eldest daughter Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also spoke during the gathering thanking all their supporters.
Former Senator Marcos again apologized to the Marcos loyalists for not announcing beforehand the burial of his father.
“Napakaganda ng naging seremonya, very dignified, very solemn,” the former senator, said recalling the previous day’s funeral rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
“Sa wakas naibigay natin sa aking ama ang kanyang kauli-huling hiling na siya’y ilibing dito sa Libingan ng mga Bayani,” he added.
Former First Lady Imelda Marcos also spoke to thank everybody for helping them achieve their “dream” to bury her late husband at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
She also thanked supporters and local officials from Ilocos Norte who traveled for about 10 hours by bus to pay their respects to the late President.
“Ang araw na ito ay isang araw na ilang dekada kong hinintay na sana ay mangyari,” the former First Lady said as she extolled her husband.
She said that their Ilocano supporters gave their family strength and hope in the 27 years that they waited for the late President to be buried at the national heroes’ cemetery.
Marcos died in Honolulu on September 28, 1989, of kidney, heart, and lung ailments.
The government of then President Corazon Aquino, widow of his assassinated political rival Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., refused to allow Marcos’ body to be brought back to the Philippines.
Marcos’ body was only brought back to the country in 1993, or four years after his death during the term of then President Fidel Ramos, Marcos’ cousin who was also the former head of the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police during Marcos’ Martial Law years.
For 23 years, or from 1993 to 2016, Marcos’ remains were interred inside a refrigerated crypt in Ilocos Norte until Friday, November 18, when the late President was flown from the province via helicopter and finally buried in strictly private rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.