We strongly condemn the decision of the Supreme Court to allow the burial of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
A tyrant who was responsible for the disappearance, torture, and death of thousands of Filipinos during the martial law era and the plundering of billions of pesos in public funds does not deserve a place among genuine heroes of our country.
This decision by the Supreme Court has made a mockery of our country in the international community. Worse, what is being prostituted in this decision is the dignity and honor of our people, that which our parents and grandparents fought and died for during martial law.
We seek to uphold the values of truth, justice, and accountability in our nation, but by giving a murderer and plunderer a hero’s burial, we have lost the moral authority to teach our children and the future generations of Filipino leaders these values that make our country strong and proud.
The decision is a grave injustice to the families of the thousands of victims of the atrocities committed during the dark period of martial law. There can never be real healing in our country without the admission of wrongdoing by the Marcos family and the unconditional return of their ill-gotten wealth. This verdict will only lead to the reopening of wounds and will lead to greater division in our country.
We call on every Filipino who believes in the ideals of truth, justice, and accountability to express their indignation at this decision.
We also appeal to the nine (9) Supreme Court justices to discern once more and reconsider their decision and the repercussions this will have on our country’s future.
We continue to pray and hope that our nation will stand strong and heal from this dark period in our history. As our founder, the late Jesse Robredo, once said—ultimately, good will always prevail over evil.
Published: November 9, 2016