Marcos grateful to Duterte for father's burial but will respect legal cases vs. him

Malacañang clarified that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s gratitude for the burial of his father, former president Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., at the Libingan ng mga Bayani during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term, does not mean he will disregard the criminal cases filed against Duterte.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said that while Marcos appreciated the heroes cemetery burial, this gratitude does not prevent him from respecting the legal processes that led to Duterte’s arrest over alleged crimes and deaths during the so-called war on drugs.

The burial was allowed through a Supreme Court decision in Duterte's term.

"[A]ng pagtanaw ng utang na loob ay hindi naman po kinakailangan na i-tolerate at tulugan ang anumang akusasyon ng kriminalidad at takpan ang mata sa maaaring nadulot ng karumaldumal na patayan ng EJK," Castro said in a Palace briefing.

"Hindi rin po pupuwedeng ipikit ng gobyerno at ng Pangulo ang kanyang mata sa mga sinapit po ng mga complainants dito sa ICC," she stressed.

Castro made the remarks in response to Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte’s statement that by allowing his father’s arrest on March 11 last year, Marcos had chosen “political vengeance over gratitude.” The lawmaker also cited the burial of the late dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani during Duterte’s presidency.

However, Castro emphasized that the burial of Marcos Sr. was carried out in accordance with the law.

"Ang pagpapalibing po ng labi ni dating Pangulong Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. ay ito naman po ay naaayon sa batas at nagkaroon din po ng desisyon ang Supreme Court dito," she said.

Castro added, "So, muli, nagpapasalamat po si Pangulong Marcos Jr. sa ginawang ito ni dating Pangulong Duterte, at ito naman po ay sinang-ayunan ng Supreme Court at wala naman pong nalalabag na batas. Iyon lamang po."