Duterte not informed about Marcos burial date –Palace

Malacañang on Friday said President Rodrigo Duterte was not informed about the date of the burial for the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

"As far as I know, he was not sure of the exact date, as far as I know," presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said at a press briefing.

He said "there was no direct conversation" between Duterte and the Marcos family as the President's focus in the past days was on Peru, where he would attend this year's APEC Summit.

"He (Duterte) was on his way. His attention was focused on the trip to Lima," Abella said.

Abella's statement was contrary to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa's claim that Duterte knew that Marcos will be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Friday.

The burial took place at noon, after the body was flown from Laoag, Ilocos Norte late morning, apparently only hours after a decision was reached on the matter.

Marcos' remains arrived at the heroes' cemetery past 11:30 a.m., with burial rites conducted shortly after.

Victims of human rights abuses during the Martial Law regime, meanwhile, condemned news of the hastily-organized rites.

The burial, backed by no less than Duterte, came 10 days after the Supreme Court voted 9-5-1 to dismiss the consolidated petitions seeking to stop it. —KBK, GMA News