Bury him already

Though many Ilocanos expect it, it is still not written in stone—until the Supreme Court rules so.

The planned burial of former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani is truly still a very divisive and contentious issue. It opens a lot of deep wounds among Martial Law victims; but at the same time also becomes a source of pride for us Ilocanos for our “greatest son” to be finally given his due.

For almost three decades, Mr. Marcos’ remains has remained unburied. (And though there are rumors that the body in the Batac mausoleum is not really his real remains, we take it as face value; we believe—and hope—that it is so). And as much as his seemingly eternal wake has driven up tourist arrivals in Batac and Ilocos Norte as a whole, everybody knew it would not really last forever. Somewhere, sometime, Mr. Marcos’ remains would need to be given its proper burial.

That time has apparently come with the election of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The former and long-time Davao mayor has personally professed his admiration for Mr. Marcos and it was really only a matter of time before he decided to give what the Marcos heirs have wanted for so long—a Libingan ng mga Bayani burial with full honors befitting a former President.

Though this was also attempted by then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, he was mobbed by countless protests in the late 1990s demanding him to call off his plan. The burial plan never really took off then and the idea quickly died a natural death.

Eighteen years later, a friendlier President and elected by 16 million Filipinos, that idea may yet come to fruition today. The issue is boosted by the late President’s namesake son almost winning the vice presidency; it can certainly prove that the Marcos name is almost as great again. Mr. Marcos’ burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery with all honors befitting his former position is the last piece in the puzzle for the Marcos name to regain its luster. It would effectively erase all the bad things that have always been associated with it since February of 1986.

But above all, it would be a political vindication for the former President and his family and opens the door for their possible return to Malacañang.

It may also ease the political division in this country, as Mr. Duterte avers, and allow most of the Filipinos to move on from Martial Law stories.

Thirty years is a long time to be holding political and personal grudges; and waiting for apologies. As such, it is also a long time to hold back the honor due to the former President.

So bury him already. He deserves it and the Ilocanos deserve it.