SC justices ask: ‘Who can be considered as heroes?’

Martial law victims led by Rep. Neri Colmenares turn to the Supreme Court in their bid to scuttle a Duterte administration plan to bury the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Who can be considered as heroes? Who determines who should be interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? Are wives of generals and Defense officials who are buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani heroes?

These are among the questions raised by Supreme Court justices during the oral argument on the petitions to stop the burial of strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani set on Sept. 18.

“There is no established body or agency who can determine who is a hero or not…not the Supreme Court, the legislative or the President,” Associate Justice Jose Perez.

There is no system of evaluation to determine who are qualified to be interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, said Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro.

She said most of the people interred at the LNMB are those with military connections.

“Even the spouses of secretaries of National Defense are allowed to be buried there. Are they heroes?” she asked.

READ: SC halts preparations for Marcos’ burial at Libingan

Former party-list Representative Neri Colmenares insisted before the high court that it is important for the human rights victims that Marcos should not be buried at the LNMB.

“Their tormentor should not be in the place for people worthy of inspiration and emulation…The dishonorable cannot join the honorable,” Colmenares said. CDG

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