MANILA—Outgoing Senator Bongbong Marcos over the weekend said that his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, will be laid to rest at the Libignan ng mga Bayani in September this year.
Marcos told reporter at the weekly news forum, Kapihan sa Annabel’s that the good news was assured to him by no less than President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos met with Duterte Friday to asked him personally the wish of his family to laid the remains of the former strongman at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
“We choose September 11 as the date of his burial for all you know that is his birthday,” the young Marcos said.
Duterte announced last May that he would make good on his campaign promise to bury the strongman at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani.
The promise dismayed Martial Law victims, who asked Duterte to reconsider his position. The victims argued that burying the dictator at the Libingan would “whitewash all crimes he committed against the people and will send the wrong message to the world that in the Philippines, crime pays.”
The victims added that the elder Marcos was a “phony wartime hero” as most of the 32 medals he accumulated during World War II were found to be fraudulent by the United States Army in early 1986.
Asked by reporters the possibility of giving him cabinet post after a year ban, Marcos said there were no assurance but claimed he “cannot say no to the President” if offered.
According to Marcos, he and Duterte had discussed, “a little bit,” but refused to elaborate the details.
The senator insinuated that he can take a Cabinet post after the one-year ban if he is given the opportunity to serve in Duterte administration.
The senator ran for the vice-presidency as an independent candidate during the May elections, but lost to Liberal Party candidate and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.