THE petitioners against the late President Ferdinand Marcos' burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani are planning to ask the Supreme Court (SC) to cite the Marcoses and the military in contempt for proceeding with the late strongman's burial pending the finality of the Supreme Court's (SC) decision.
The contempt plea is set to be filed by the National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL), which represented petitioners former Bayan Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Neri Colmenares.
The camp of former Commission on Human Rights Chair (CHR) Loretta Rosales, a human rights violation victim herself during the Marcos regime, will also file the same motion with the SC.
"We are considering filing a motion next week to cite respondents in contempt for proceeding with the burial even if the SC decision is not yet final and executory," said Barry Gutierrez, Rosales' legal counsel.
Rosales cried foul over the surprise burial that took place earlier in the day. According to her, what "they [Marcoses] have done is irregular and violates the rule of law."
Rosales added that the "irregularity of what had happened will have a backlash on Marcos family."
Albay Representative Edcel Lagman will also join the NUPL and Rosales in filing a motion against the Marcoses and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which facilitated the burial.
Just like Rosales, Lagman also lamented the sudden interment, saying the SC decision only becomes final 15 days after the parties receive the decision.
Aside from the motion for contempt, Lagman said they will also file for a motion for Marcos' remains to be exhumed from the Libingan ng mga Bayani for the late dictator. He said Marcos does not deserve the burial, as he is not a hero.
Lagman and the NUPL earlier asked the High Court to issue a Status Quo Ante Order against Marcos interment, as the parties to the case have not yet received the copy of the full decision they needed, to file for a motion for reconsideration.
The Supreme Court, in its recent session last Tuesday, however, did not act on the motion of the two petitioners.
Meanwhile, SC spokesperson Theodore Te said the Marcos family can proceed with the burial as there is no order stopping them from doing so.
"Ang status as of November 8 up to today is that the petitions are dismissed and the status quo order is lifted. Even if there is a motion for reconsideration, the legal status is that there is no order that stops the act at the moment," Te said.
Voting 9-5-1, the Court last November 8 denied the petitioners motion to stop the government's order to bury Marcos in the heroes' cemetery.
The Court said there is no clear constitutional or legal basis to hold that there was grave abuse of discretion in President Rodrigo Duterte's part when he directed the Department of National Defense to inter the dictator in Libingan ng mga Bayani.
The SC also held that Marcos's remains could be transferred in the said cemetery as he is a former soldier, a statesman and president. (Sunnex)
