Duterte meets Imee ahead of SC ruling on Marcos burial
By: Nestor Corrales / @NCorralesINQ
INQUIRER.net / 02:21 PM October 15, 2016
President Rodrigo Duterte met with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos in Laoag City on Friday in time for the launch of the “Kailian March,” a four-day trek from Ilocos Norte to Metro Manila. PHOTO BY FERDINAND E. MARCOS PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
President Rodrigo Duterte met with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos in Laoag City on Friday in time for the launch of the “Kailian March,” a four-day trek from Ilocos Norte to Metro Manila days before the anticipated ruling of the Supreme Court for the hero’s burial for former President Ferdinand Marcos.
Duterte and Marcos met at the Laoag International Airport after the President’s visit to typhoon-hit Batanes on the same day.
In an interview with the governor, Duterte reiterated his earlier pronouncements that the former president deserved to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery).
“Batas ‘yan… It is very clear to me na ang (that my) decision ko, tama (is right). As a lawyer, I could only stick to what is the law,” Duterte said.
Responding to the President’s statement, the governor said: “President Duterte once again reiterated what he knew to be right as a lawyer: that my father, a soldier, a president, and a war hero, should be buried at the [LNMB].”
The President has repeatedly said in his public speeches that Marcos deserved to be buried at the heroes’ cemetery as a former president and a soldier.
“As a former soldier and former president of the Philippines, I see nothing wrong in having [former President Ferdinand] Marcos buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” he said in a press briefing in Davao City on August 7.
READ: Duterte: Marcos deserves to be buried at heroes’ cemetery
During the campaign period, Duterte was vocal in allowing the burial of the elder Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery, saying it’s time for the country “to move on” and unite.
READ: Time to move on, unite the country – Duterte
Widows of drug war
Duterte also met with the widows of policemen who died during a police operation against illegal drugs.
“Hiningi ng presidente na ipakilala sa kanya yung mga nadali sa drug war, dahil (The President asked to let him know those who died in the name of the drug war because) he feels personally responsible,” Marcos said.
The President met with the widows of PO3 Nestor Sadian and PO3 Fernando Sacatrapos Jr., both of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, who were both killed by unidentified assailants.
The parents of PO3 Omar Nacionales, one of the 44 soldiers of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force slain in the Mamasapano clash in January 2015 also met with the President.
Marcos said Duterte was angry that the family of Nacionales was not given enough assistance by the previous administration.
“Galit na galit na hindi nabigyan ng sapat na tulong. Eh ang hinihingi lang naman nila biik at livelihood assistance. Sinabi ko naman na yung kaya namin, binibigay na namin, pero hindi naman natin kaya lahat ng trabaho,” the governor said.
(He is very angry that they were not given sufficient assistance. All they were asking for were piglets and livelihood assistance. I told them we would give them whatever we can offer, but we can’t do everything.)
‘Kailian March’
Supporters of former president Marcos on Friday kicked off a four-day trek to Manila in anticipation of the decision of the Supreme Court on the hero’s burial of the late president.
Kailian “is an Ilocano word used to address or identify fellow members of a community, signifying something even deeper than fellow Ilocano.”
“Using the word kailian implies being part of the same barangay or sitio, growing with and around each other… a much stronger and close-knit relationship,” Jun Arvin Gudoy, head of the Communications and Media Office of the Ilocos Norte provincial government, said.
Duterte has expressed his support of the unity march.
“I have standing orders to the police and the military to keep everybody safe… If it goes out of control, then I will fly immediately [to the march],” Duterte was quoted as saying.
During the kick-off, two unity masses were held in Ilocos Norte, one at the San Agustin Church in Paoay and at the St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Badoc.
PHOTO BY FERDINAND E. MARCOS PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
Supporters who joined the unity march left the Paoay church past 6:00 p.m., arriving at the Badoc church before 8:00pm.
An hour later, the group had left Ilocos Norte and arrived at Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, at around 10:00 p.m.
Gov. Marcos thanked the supporters who joined the masses and the unity march.
“Thank you very much for your support. I am certain that with our continued prayers, we will finally bring peace to my father, to my family, to this province, and to the entire country, the Republic of the Philippines. Tuloy tayo sa (We’ll proceed to the) Libingan ng Mga Bayani,” he said.
The hero’s burial of the late president was reportedly scheduled on September 18 but the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order to put on hold he government’s plan to bury the former president at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.
On September 7, the high court extended the 20-day status quo order to October 18. CDG
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/825582/duterte-meets-imee-ahead-of-sc-ruling-on-marcos-burial#ixzz4N9Ikv3rM
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