There is no historical basis to have Marcos buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani – National Historical Commission

Manila – The National Historical Commission of the Philippines said former President Ferdinand Marcos should not be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani because of his spurious military record and what he did to the country during his martial rule.

In a radio interview early Monday morning, NHCP Chair Maria Serena Diokno stressed that Marcos should not be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani because the cemetery is a memorial to Filipinos who have done great things for the country. It is not for someone with spurious military record and one who subjected the country to tyranny. Nevertheless, she admitted that the NHCP cannot do anything to stop his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani since that is a presidential prerogative.

Duterte, during the campaign period, said if he wins the presidential race, he would allow Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani because “he is a great soldier.” Recently, it was reported that the president already gave the go signal to have Marcos be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and that his family are now preparing to transfer his preserved body from the family mausoleum in Ilocos Norte to the controversial cemetery on Sept. 18, the strongman’s birthday.

Diokno, daughter of former martial law victim and nationalist human rights lawyer Senator Jose W. Diokno, said the commission has studied Duterte’s claim that Marcos is a good soldier but found out that his record as a bemedalled soldier of World War II is “fraught with myths, factual inconsistencies, and lies.” She said the commission came to this conclusion after conducting an extensive research of historical archives on Filipino soldiers and guerilla units operating in the Philippines during the second world war.

The archives were declassified by the United States government some 20 years ago and was made available to the country through the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Serena added.

Furthermore, Serena noted Marcos “lied about receiving medals like the US Medal of Honor, Silver Star, and Order of the Purple Heart.” She also said “the U.S. government never officially recognized Marcos’ alleged guerilla group, Maharlika, nor his leadership of it, or his rank promotion,” from major in 1944 to lieutenant colonel by 1947.

To support its claim, the NHCP published a 26-page pamphlet entitled “Why Ferdinand Marcos should not be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.” The pamphlet contains facsimiles of U.S. historical documents proving that Marcos’ military service is questionable.

The pamphlet, according to Diokno, was the result of the commission’s study and part of its mandate under Republic Act 10086 “to conduct and disseminate historical research and resolve historical controversies.” She said the pamphlet can be accessed on line at http://nhcp.gov.ph/http://beyonddeadlines.com/2016/08/08/there-is-no-historical-basis-to-have-marcos-buried-at-libingan-ng-mga-bayani-national-historical-commission/

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