PNoy hands-off on Marcos burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani

President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday inhibited himself from deciding whether the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos should be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery).

“Whatever I say will be bias. I’m thinking of inhibiting myself from deciding on the matter,” Aquino said in an interview following the command conference in Camp Aguinaldo.

Aquino said he will assign a government official to study the matter. “I will let somebody who has less personal attachment decide on it.”

“Anything I say on the matter sasabihin decided on a subjective basis rather than on an objective basis and we would want to spare our country form that,” he added.

The President said he will be meeting the person he was referring to Wednesday afternoon but refused to reveal name.

He admitted that burying Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani has many implications.

“There will be a sector, a significant sector, especially we’re celebrating the 25th anniversary of Edsa by next week, there will be sector who will say to give him honor as commander in chief… there is a sector who will say as president, the mandate was removed from him, so how come there will still be entitlement.”

Allowed to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani are Filipino military personnel from privates to generals, as well as former presidents, heroes, and martyrs.

“Should it be in recognition of his being a soldier during World War II, should it be because he was former commander in chief, should it be because he was a former president,” Aquino noted.

By Jill Beltran