MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr on Saturday, June 11, said the planned burial of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) will bring closure for the country.
"I think it will bring closure not only to my family but to the rest of the country. This is something that has been somehow in the consciousness of the Filipino people. This continuing partisan exchange that has been going over 30 years can finally be put to rest. I think that is the significance," Marcos said in a press conference on Saturday.
Marcos was in Davao City on Friday night, June 10, to visit President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and thank him personally for his plan to "arrange immediately" the burial of the older Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
But the senator said no other specifics were discussed during his meeting with Duterte – not even the date of the burial.
"September 2016 ang lumabas na very early na nabanggit, baka September. But [there's] really nothing more definite, kahit September baka 'di pa ano 'yun," Marcos explained, saying the date would be something for his mother Imelda Marcos to decide.
(September 2016 was the earliest [date] mentioned, maybe September. But [there's] really nothing more definite, even September may not be final.)
Duterte first promised to give Marcos a hero's burial last February while campaigning in Ilocos Norte, home province of the Marcoses.
Earlier, Marcos said rules of the Armed Forces of the Philippines allow for the burial of his father's remains at the Heroes' Cemetery.
"A soldier who served, a veteran, has the rights to be interred at the Heroes' Cemetery; a president has the same rights," the senator said last February.
Duterte believes the move will "erase from our people one hatred."
On Saturday, Marcos' rival and Vice President-elect Leni Robredo said thousands of families who were victims of Martial Law have also been waiting 30 years for justice and closure.
"Lalong hindi tayo makakapag-move on kapag kinalimutan natin ang karahasan sa ating kasaysayan (We won't be able to move on if we forget the violence in our history)," she said in a statement. – Rappler.com