(Eagle News)- There is nothing in the Constitution and existing laws that prohibits President Rodrigo Duterte from giving the late former President Ferdinand Marcos a spot at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the Office of Solicitor General (OSG) told Supreme Court (SC) on Monday.
OSG also said the President’s order to have the remains of Marcos entombed at the Libingan is his power along with his control over the Philippine Veteran Affairs Office as the agency tasked to supervise military shrines and ceremonies.
“All told, the President’s verbal orders for the interment of the remains of President Marcos at the Libingan as well as the memorandum issued by Defense Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana pursuant to said orders, find legal basis not only in the law but, more importantly, in the Constitution,” the OSG said.
The office insisted that Marcos, being a war soldier and former president, should be interred at the heroes’ cemetery despite strong demand from petitioners that it was an insult to the ones buried there and to the victims of abuse under Martial Law.
“The Libingan is a national shrine for military memorials. As such, any president, commander-in-chief, war veteran or Medal of Valor awardee may be buried therein. These are indelible facts that are adequate reasons for a person to be interred in the Libingan in the case of former President Marcos, perhaps the only reasons,” OSG added.
Criticizing the petitioners for going straight to the SC without making a formal appeal to Duterte, the OSG argued the issue does not even deserve the attention of the court.
“Petitioners question the memorandum and directive with respect to the interment of former President Marcos, arguing that the Libingan is ‘reserved only for the decent and the brave.’ Petitioners’ thesis readliy reveals the political, and, hence, non-justiciable nature of their petitions,” the office contended.
Five petitions have already been filed against the burial by several groups. The SC is set to hold oral arguments on the issue on Wednesday.