FM buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani

Finally, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos was buried—at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LMNB), no less.

In a surprise move, the former president’s family decided to inter his remains on November 18, 2016. A Philippine Air Force chopper airlifted the remains from Batac to the LNMB before noon. The former president was accorded military honors.

Wish

Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos said it was his father’s wish to be buried at the LNMB.

“Finally, on this day the wish of my beloved father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos to be buries together with his fellow soldiers was finally fulfilled,” Ms. Marcos said.

She added: “Me and my family wholeheartedly thanked those who have proven his right to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. First and foremost, to President Duterte who suggested this, to the Supreme Court who upheld the decision, and the thousands who showed their love and care for my family.”

She also explained the decision to keep the burial a private affair: “You were together with us who dreamt and prayed in almost three decades that this day will come. That’s why I’m asking for an apology and understanding for our decision to make the burial of my father simple, private, and solemn so that those who are hurting will further not be affected.”

No space

Countering those who insist that the former president wanted to be buried besides his mother in Batac, Atty. Yvette Convento-Leynes, the family’s lawyer, revealed that there is not enough space for Mr. Marcos beside the burial ground where his mother, Josefa Edralin Marcos was interred in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

“[Those who are against the burial] say former President Ferdinand Marcos wants to be buried beside his mother in Batac City, but if you check the location, (there is no) space for the late president,” Ms. Leynes stressed.

Beside his mother’s burial ground was the grave of former Ilocos Norte Governor Elizabeth Marcos-Keon who died in 1986.

Citing Mr. Marcos’ last will and testament, Ms. Leynes asserted Marcos family’s claim that “The last wish of the late president is to be buried in accordance with the established law.”

In the two-page document, the first provision stated “I desire that my remains be buried according to the rites established by law and with dignity suitable to my position and other personal circumstances.”

“Pinatototohanan [ng last will and testament] ang sinasabi ng Marcos family na gusto niyang [Presidente Ferdinand Marcos] mailibing sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, and not beside his mother,” Ms. Leynes noted.

It also contains the late president’s will and instructions for his wife former first Lady Imelda Marcos, and his children Imee Marcos, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, and Irene Marcos-Araneta.

“Late President Marcos has a rank of a Major and the family only wants a simple soldier’s burial—the kind of burial suited to a soldier like the late former president,” Ms. Leynes explained.

The last will and testament was presented to respond to those who are against the burial claiming that LNMB stands for ‘Ilibing na si Marcos sa Batac’ and not Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

“Some people say LNMB (means) Ilibing na si Marcos sa Batac, that’s why we researched from the archives of the family and that’s the very reason why the last will and testament was brought out just to [attest to] the wishes of the late president that he really wanted to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” said Ms. Leynes.

'It's about time'

For the youngest sister of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Fortuna "Baby" Marcos-Barba, she said “It’s about time.”

She shared her sentiments on the burial of her brother preceding the first of the nine-day novena being held in Ilocos Norte.

"Well of course, I'm happy about it. It's about time they do something about it instead of just leaving it like that," she said.

She expressed her hope that those opposing her brother's burial can "make up your minds to really make this country great again by having everybody get together and do things the right way."

Mrs. Barba, at 85 years old, is the last surviving sibling of the four children of Don Mariano R. Marcos and Doña Josefa E. Marcos, who were both graduates of what is now the Philippine Normal University.

Between her and the former president were Dr. Pacifico E. Marcos and former Ilocos Norte Governor Elizabeth M. Keon.

'Baby' Fortuna was the only Marcos child not born in Ilocos Norte and has a 14-year age gap with the former president.

A barangay in Marcos, Ilocos Norte is named after her to honor her efforts in flourishing the barangay after the town was separated from Dingras in 1963.

She fondly recalled from her childhood, "I was treated like a little girl and so I was kind of spoiled, I guess… in a way that, 'Intindihin mo yung bata,'━they called me 'bata’,” adding that her older brother always took care of her.

"After the war, [Mr. Marcos] was the one who came to pick me up in Sarrat and brought me back to Manila," where she was born. She had been evacuated to Sarrat and stayed with their grandmother during the Second World War. 

The novena, which began at the Immaculate Conception Church in Batac City continued daily throughout Sarrat, Dingras, Vintar, Bacarra, Laoag City, Badoc, and Paoay, ending in Batac on November 24. (Marcos Presidential Center)