MANILA, Oct. 14, 2011— Catholic educators are behind President Benigno Aquino III for rejecting any state honors for the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
In a statement issued Friday, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) lauded Mr Aquino’s decision amid “misguided calls” for a hero’s burial for Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Makati City.
“We are one with him in the conviction that doing so would be ‘the height of injustice’ against the Filipino people and most especially to those who suffered during the martial law years,” the CEAP said.
“We strongly believe that the only way forward is for the transgressors to apologize and let justice run its due course. Justice is the only way to unity,” it added.
In an interview with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) on Wednesday, Mr Aquino said that he will not allow state burial for the staunch rival of his late father – Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
“It really would be, I think, the height of injustice to have any honors to the person who was the direct mastermind of all of their sufferings," he said.
Mr Aquino also said that many victims of the Martial Law have not been accorded any apology and the bill providing for their compensation is still pending before the Congress. [CBCPNews]
