Marcos burial will not bring closure, says Pangilinan

The Marcos family is mistaken in thinking that the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani will bring closure to human rights issues and lead to unity among Filipinos, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Friday.

"Kung inaakala nila na ito'y closure, nagkakamali sila. Dahil ang katunayan, muling binuksan ang mga sugat ng pang-aabuso, ang sugat ng torture, ng rape, ng pagpatay, ng pag-abduct na naranasan ng tens of thousands, libu-libo, ng ating mga kababayan," Pangilinan, the president of the Liberal Party, told a press briefing moments after Marcos' surprise interment at the heroes' cemetery.

"Kung akala nila mananahimik na at magkakaroon na ng pagkakaisa sa ating lipunan dahil dito sa paglibing sa mga libingan ng mga bayani, nagkakamali sila," he added.

Pangilinan: Simple lang: Hindi siya bayani, bakit siya ililibing sa LNMB? For as long as he is buried there, injustice is perpetrated. pic.twitter.com/al3GsTKVTV

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) November 18, 2016

Pangilinan said allowing the burial to take place made a "laughing stock" of the Philippines as it disparaged the historic uprising that ended Marcos' dictatorship in 1986.

Pangilinan: Magiging laughingstock/katawa-tawa tayo sa mundo dahil pinatalsik si Marcos noon at inililibing siyang bayani ngayon. pic.twitter.com/pz4T81bjWv

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) November 18, 2016

"Kahiyahiya at katawa-tawa. Sabi ko nga, magiging laughing stock tayo sa buong mundo dahil pinatalsik natin yung diktadura nung 1986 dahil sa pang-aabuso, pagpatay, pagnakaw, at ngayon nililibing natin sa Libingan ng mga Bayani," he said.

UP professor Susan Villanueva believes the secretive nature of the burial befitted Marcos' nature as a thief and a dictator.

Villanueva: Pinapakita lang talaga ng mga Marcos na hindi nila mabigyan ng libing ng bayani ang isang diktador. pic.twitter.com/0GoeFobKA1

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) November 18, 2016

"Itong libing na ito parang libing para sa magnanakaw, 'di ba? Libing ba ito ng bayani? Ang paglilibing ba sa bayani e sinisikreto, tinatago, kinahihiya?" she said.

By burying Marcos in secret, Villanueva said, the Marcos family showed their inability to counter public sentiment against the former dictator.

"Alam nila yung damdamin ng taumbayan, natatakot sila sa damdamin ng taumbayan. Hindi nila mabigyan yung diktador ng libing na gusto nila dati kaya tuloy, na-pwersa sila ng ganitong kalihim," she said.

"There was admission in their part na hindi nila kayang bigyan ng libing na para sa isang bayani yung dating diktador," Villaneuva added.

Pangilinan said the LP will not file a motion for reconsideration with the SC to relocate the remains of Marcos, but will be in support of groups who will file the necessary petitions.

Along with Pangilinan and Villanueva, visual artist Toym Imao believes the burial of the late dictator transcended political divisions and could only be combated by a united front.

"The government through its aiding the Marcos family has whitewashed the historical legacy, although dark, ng pamilyang Marcos sa bansa na ito," Imao, whose family was affected by the burning of Sulu during Martial Law, said.

"Wala po itong kinikilalang alyansa, party lines. I think this is something that we can bond [over] together. 'Di na po tayo magkukulayan kasi yung nagkulay dito e yung gobyerno eh. Kinulayan nila ng puti yung napakasamang history sa ating bansa," he added. —KBK, GMA News