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Former Philippine Dictator Given Burial in Heroes' Cemetery??

The funeral of Ferdinand Marcos
in the city of Taguig, Philippines
on Nov. 18, 2016

Victims--as well as relatives--of the regime of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos requested that the Supreme Court exhume his remains from the cemetery.  The group says it did not have enough time to appeal a ruling that allowed his burial in the country's Heroes Cemetery.  "How can a plunderer and despot and violator of human rights be given that honor of being buried in the memorial of good men," said Congressman Edcel Lagman, brother of an abducted anti-Marcos dissident who was never seen again.  Another group Monday asked the Supreme Court to hold the Marcos family and the military in contempt for the "hasty, shady and tricky" burial of the long-dead president.  A major demonstration protesting Marcos' burial at the memorial is planned for Friday.

The Supreme Court recently endorsed a decision by President Rodrigo Duterte to bury the dictator at the cemetery.  Marcos was ousted in 1986 in a mostly non-violent "People Power" revolution when millions of Filipinos took to the streets demanding he step down.  His rule was marked by massive human rights violations.  He and his cronies looted billions of dollars from state coffers, plunging the country into crippling debt.  Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989. His remains have been on public display in his northern Philippine hometown.  Previous presidents refused to allow Marcos to be buried in the Heroes Cemetery.

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