DE OCAMPO, Jiether A.

ARC-2104

Did former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos deserve a heroes’ burial?

Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos’ burial in the “Libingan ng mga Bayani”, Fort
Bonifacio, Metro Manila was one of the most controversial events that happened in the
year 2016. According to the survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS), opinion
on former president Marcos’ burial was split to 50% supporting it out of their 1800
respondents February 2016 while the other 50% disagreed. For me it’s a yes, I think he
deserved the burial in LNMB for the fact that he is a former president and commander-
in-chief, a legislator, secretary of national defense, a military personnel, a veteran and a
Medal of Honor Awardee, making him qualified to be in LNMB despite allegations of the
alleged ill-gotten wealth but having no records of him being criminally convicted which
means there are no legal basis that disqualifies him of being buried in the “Libingan ng
mga Bayani” which was established as a fitting resting place for Philippine Military
personnel from privates to generals who served during World War II and eventually
became designated as the official place of burial of deceased Philippine presidents,
national heroes, patriots, National Artists and National Scientists. Eventually, after
people’s long debate over it, the former president was allowed by the Supreme Court of
the Philippines to be buried in the LNMB on November 8, 2016 with the votes of 9-5 with
one abstention dismissing the status quo ante imposed to block the burial of ex Pres.
Ferdinand Marcos in the LNMB.