Government lawyers yesterday affirmed the legality of the burial of President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City last Friday.
Solicitor General Jose Calida said there was nothing illegal in the Marcos burial at the LNMB since the Supreme Court has ruled on it last November 8.
“As a result of the dismissal of the petitions, there was no further hindrance for the respondents (the Office of the President, Department of National Defense, and Armed Forces of the Philippines) to proceed with the burial of Ferdinand E. Marcos’ remains at LNMB,” Calida said in a text message.
In the same text message, Calida refuted insinuations that the Marcos burial at the LNMB last Friday was an act of contempt court since the decision is not yet final and executory.
He said the petitioners and their lawyers “should rush up first their knowledge on recent jurisprudence regarding the effect of lifting of status quo ante orders in certiorari cases before they bash the respondents in media.”
Calida said he is confident the SC will not reverse its ruling on the issue, given the 9-5 voting by the magistrates.
“Given the numerical superiority of the majority, I don’t think the Supreme Court will reverse it,” he stressed.
“The 9-5 decision is not only a clear margin. It’s a landslide margin similar to President Duterte’s victory over his opponents during the May 2016 presidential elections,” he added. (Rey G. Panaligan)