Ferdinand Marcos “unfit” for hero’s burial says Historical Commission

1986-marcos, Marcos Unfit
Ferdinand Marcos “Unfit” for Hero’s Burial says Historical Commission – www.plnmedia.com

President Duterte is being heavily criticised for his plan to give the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos a Hero’s burial at Libingan Cemetery.

Not only are demonstrators upset over Martial Law allegations, but they say the former leader of the Philippines is nothing more than a liar, someone who consistently lied about his military record.

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President Duterte told reporters on Sunday that he will fulfil his campaign promise to bury Marcos at the National Hero’s Cemetery – something many are not happy about.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines released papers this weekend questioning Duterte’s stance on Marcos being qualified for a Hero’s burial because he was a soldier during World War II.

The commission’s papers showed that Marcos lied about receiving medals from the United States – saying his military record is fraught with lies and inconsistencies.

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The commission said: “A doubtful record does not serve as sound, unassailable basis of historic recognition of any sort, let alone burial in a site intended, as its name suggest, for heroes.”

Former President Ferdinand Marcos was elected the 10th President of the Philippines in 1965. He declared Martial Law in 1972, allowing him to rule as a dictator while he and his family enriched themselves through massive corruption.

Marcos was toppled in a military-backed revolt in 1986 and died in exile in Hawaii in 1989.

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In 2004, Transparency International, a leading anti-corruption watchdog, named Marcos the second most corrupt leader of all time.

Though the popularity of President Rodrigo Duterte is ongoing, many are not happy with his decision to allow a Hero’s burial for Marcos. Duterte has given high praises to Marcos, calling him the “best president” ever for the Philippines.

Duterte has maintained close ties to the Marcos family, something northern voters were leary of during recent presidential elections.

Human rights group Karaptan, said this wee: “We call on President Duterte not to give a platform for the Marcoses to whitewash the crimes they committed. This man does not deserve any form of honour.”

This past Sunday Duterte’s ordered the military to start preparing for the burial in spite of the strong words being spoken around him.

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos posted on his Facebook page this week that “Our campaign has always been towards achieving unity to move the country forward. And it is this kind of pronouncement that we hope could end the decades of divisiveness.”