Now you see him, now you don’t
My Exclusive
By Raïssa Robles
Even if the Philippine government were to bury the long dead dictator Ferdinand Marcos with military honors, his corpse might not stay buried. Because the way you and I understand the word “buried” is not the way the widow Imelda Marcos understands it.
Imelda Marcos has in her possession an engineering design for a hydraulic and refrigeration system that would continue to preserve the dictator’s body from decomposing and – for viewing purposes – would raise and lower a granite slab covering his glass coffin.
I’m not pulling your leg. I recently confirmed from sources deep inside the Marcos camp that these engineering plans still exist and would have been implemented in 1998 if then President Fidel Ramos had not put a stop to it in the dying days of his administration.
Let me rewind my story back to the beginning.
Around this time 13 years ago, the Armed Forces of the Philippines on orders of Ramos’ Defense Secretary Fortunato Abat, assisted the Marcos family in preparing a “memorial” for the dead dictator at Libingan ng mga Bayani. Five truck-loads of ready-mix concrete were poured into a 100-square meter burial plot as part of the foundation for the hydraulic system. Site preparation alone cost P3 million.
Here is how it looks now:
This plot seems to be reserved to this day for Ferdinand Marcos - http://raissarobles.com
The burial plot was to be tiled with thick slabs of adobe. Marcos’ glass coffin would be eased into a shallow hole and topped with black granite from Italy.
His epitaph – hand-etched in black marble – would be installed. The person who told me about the epitaph recalled it said:
For him, in order to maintain democracy and peace, he was willing to sacrifice even if it forced him to admit sins or crimes he did not commit.
Interestingly, this is the same message etched in black marble at the entrance of his mausoleum in Batac, Ilocos Norte today. Note in particular the second line below:
I don’t know if this is the very same epitaph flown back from Hawaii because two sources told me that the marble for Marcos’ Libingan mausoleum has been stored all these years in his San Juan residence.
I know these because I was doing a blow-by-blow account of the bury-Marcos story as it unfolded in June 1998. The name “Marcos” had always meant political trouble and made very good copy overseas. At that time, I even hunted down the architect, Normandy Canlas, who had designed the hydraulic system and asked him why there was a need for it.
Canlas told me then:
One of the considerations is for the body to be viewed from time to time by the family.
As for keeping Marcos’ body preserved, he said that would require putting up a refrigeration unit with a steady power supply.
He told me:
The military (which runs the cemetery) won’t likely pay for that. Maybe they’ll put a meter….it will be costly.
Canlas now runs a successful building and design company and refused to talk to me recently. I think he’s related to the late Aber Canlas, Marcos’ former Minister of Public Works and Highways.
However, someone else did talk to me on condition of anonymity. The person whom I will call Mr X said Imelda Marcos wanted that kind of set-up so she could gaze on Marcos’ face from time to time. Mr X recalled that when the cadaver was stored in the Valley of the Temples in Hawaii, Imelda would go there and ask the Temple caretakers to open the casket so she could kiss him on the forehead.
Mr X said other kinds of burial plans were also now being considered, such as burying Marcos on a mountain top overlooking the South China Sea. It was the same mountain where Marcos had hidden during the Japanese Occupation.
Mr X confirmed to me that then President Ramos had set three preconditions before the body could be transported back in 1992: the body would not pass Manila but land immediately in Ilocos Norte; it would be accorded military honors befitting any Army Major and would be buried at once.
Mr X said the Marcoses had agreed to these preconditions because:
His return was the most important thing and was a big thorn off our hearts. If there were three or four soldiers, in or out of uniform, those were minor considerations.
Mr X must be right. To this day, the Marcoses have not denied there were these preconditions.
Another source whom I’ll call Mr Y told me there exists yet another design for Marcos’ mausoleum which is in Imelda Marcos’ possession:
The tomb is inside a cave dug into a mountain side. The cave has an oculus or hole in the roof to let in light. The tomb would be in the middle of a lake….very dramatic.
A third source whom I’ll call Mr Z told me that fresh burial plans started a year ago. Mr Z refused to go into details.
If Marcos is buried at Libingan will he stay buried there?
In 1998, when the Marcoses nearly succeeded in getting the dictator buried at Libingan, architect Canlas told me a curious thing. He said, quoting Imelda Marcos, that the family viewed Libingan only as “a temporary burial site where he will be buried as a president and solder. In a decade or so, he will be returned to Batac and buried alongside Doña Josefa, his mother.”
In other words, the Marcoses simply wanted to set up a memorial for him inside Libingan that would proclaim Marcos as a hero.
Implications of burying Marcos as a hero
At that time, then Congressman Wigberto Tañada warned that this would have serious implications on the pending court cases against the Marcoses. He said:
It could be misinterpreted by some of the judges handling the cases. Once Marcos is buried at Libingan it could be used as a reason not only before the courts but also before the youth who did not experience the Marcos years.
Tañada’s words were proven correct even at that time by Marcos loyalist Cherry Cobarrubias. She insisted Marcos should be buried at Libingan because “it is time to right the wrong that is Edsa” – referring to the 1986 people power revolt that the loyalists said “grabbed” power from the Marcoses.
I know that President Benigno Aquino has stated that Marcos won’t be buried at Libingan – “not on my watch.”
Which means the Marcoses will simply wait out Aquino and pressure the next president. This is what they have done since 1993. They did it with Joseph Estrada and with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who both decided in the end that it was politically wise to turn down the Marcoses’ request for a hero’s burial at Liibingan.
The Marcoses have practiced necropolitics for the last 18 years and have elevated it into a fine art.
Maybe they’ll succeed in 2016 when the new President might be Jejomar Binay and the new Vice-President is Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
What they have been doing all these years is all sounding like a bad movie.
As bad as the one below, don’t you think?
Now who among you will say – Tama na, sobra na, ilibing na! – without refrigeration.
Like this:
Because who knows if we don’t, we might one day see something like this –
______________________________
Related Stories:
Part 2: PH gov’t bestowed Marcos’ body military honors in 1993 – Rafael Alunan
Fidel Ramos phoned me to shed light on his role in Ferdinand Marcos’ non-burial
Marcoses broke promise to bury FM’s body at once in Ilocos – Fidel Ramos
GEORGE says
THE WHOLE MARCOS CLAN SHOULD BE BANISHED FOREVER AS THE USE THE PHILIPPINE MONEY STOLEN FROM HARD WORKING FILIPINO AND THE BLOOD OF THIS WONDERFUL NATION
CONFISCATE ALL THEIR WEALTH AND RETURN IT TO WHERE IT CAME FROM THIS PIECE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH THAT THE WORLD KNOWS AS THE PHILIPPINES
NOW HIS SON WANTS TO STEAL THE VICE PRESIDENCY SO HE CAN GET RID IF DU 30 AND START PLUNDERING OUR HOMELAND AGAIN
GOD HELP US COS MARCOS WONT HE WILL ONLY HELP HIM SELF
PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY BEFORE IT IS TO LATE
GOD BLESS US HEAVEN KNOWS WE HAVE DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD
BeAtriz Gonzales says
Deport them all to afford the dead and the living to really move on.
Fely Nacionales Cook says
Ang hilig tlga ng mga tao s tsismis kya wlang ngyyring gnda s buhay ..mgbgo n,uy!..GOD BLESS TO ALL…
Ricardo Maulion says
Asan ba galing na sementeryo ang nahukay na skeletal remaind ni Macoy. Akala ko kasi sa crypt na yan asan ang wax na yan nakahimlay suggested by a PDI Columnist.
rogers says
RR, Very vivid article. Revealing gross deception by the Marcoses. They were filled with pride to have their burial at LMB. With all their money (stolen from Pinoys) they want to preserve their dead /wax forever.
raissa says
Thanks for reading.
Svetlana Andayev says
I heard the one in the glass case is like something from a wax museum, and the real body is buried na in Ilocos. True ba?
Erma Aquino says
thank u raissa. I am a follower. pag kinukuyog k na,timbre ka lang =) tc
raissa says
ok.
Jake says
A failed son’s promise to his mother. If Noy made some measures to prevent it to happened even after his term, this will not been an issue after all. Sana he made some forward thinking on this during his term…
Now, all his people are creating a bandwagon again to prevent this to happened, but it will not since wala na sya sa pwesto.
duquemarino says
PNoy: Not on my watch.
Judy Taguiwalo: She disagrees with the decision of DU30 to allow a Libingan ng mga Bayani burial for Marcos, but said this does not that she can’t work with DU30. (Parang pumayag na rin.)
Seven Makabayan Coalition party-list lawmakers foled House Resolution No. 1297 to block the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Joma Seesoon: OK with Marcos burial at LNB.
DU30: I will allow Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. He was a soldier. He was there to fight for his country.
Ano na kaya ang posisyon ngayon ng Makabayan Bloc now that DU30 has allowed the Marcos burial at LNB?
Yes, Marcos was a “soldier”, he was president. He also accumulated up to US10 billion while in office, he plundered the Filipino nation.
Marcos family’s callousness.
Jimboy says
Duterte should rename it as Libingan ng mga PEKENG Bayani.
chumangong says
if they change the name of the cemetery from Libingan ng mga bayani to Libingan ng mga sundalo Marcos won’t want to be buried there. Just use any name and take bayani out, that’s how to resolve this.
raissa says
In that way, you disredpect the hundreds buried there now
Wynne says
Fame and pride lng talaga habol ng mga Marcos, ewan d na sana pinabalik pa ang mga yan sa Ph
raissa says
We were given no choice by the Swiss governmen
A lawsuit had to be filed on the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth by a certain period or else Switzerland would lift the freeze unilaterally on all Marcos-held assets.
Bob Blues Magoo says
Our soldiers who have died in battle are the real heroes and deserve this 100 square meters…is it still there waiting for the real DEAD McCoy? If it is, then reserve it for real heroes!
Wynne says
Yes I totally agree with u
caren says
True
Gil Reoma says
Raiza, thank you. You are doing service to our country, especially to the youths among us who are confused by and misled with all sort of propaganda about the Marcos issue. In due time, and with the advance in information technology, i believe we will all see the light of day– all secrets will be unveiled. in the meantime, we continue to work to the best of our abilities, and in every station of life we are in, for the good of our Country. More power to your journalistic endeavors !
raissa says
Thank you.
Lyn O says
Thank you, Raissa. You are our history book.
raissa says
just a reminder :)
leona says
with that zombie walking around, I am already decided to buy a shot gun 12 gauge with No. 12 or buckshot ammo!
JunAdan says
I wonder if Marcos cadaver in the picture here or in Batac his real body or just a wax?
It must be his real corpse was already buried and the wax is intended for Libingan ng mga Bayani, if allowed, as mere symbolism of a “heroes burial’ for political purposes and self-interest of the Marcoses.
Is Marcos a hero….for having 27 fake Medals; for destroying democracy; for his “brilliance” in fooling 27 million Filipinos not only most of the time but all the time; for his skill in amassing billions of peoples’ money? Story of his WWII exploits were of pilferage of US camps, together with VER in their Maharlika Outfit. He was just a self-styled Major in Maharlika, which was not accredited by the US Army. So why is Marcos heroes burial is a hot issue after all? Marcos is NO HERO!!! Period!
troy says
Tumpak!
mia erika says
the dead that still give troubles!
JunAdan says
Marcos cadaver looks like he is skin care model of Dr.Vicky Belo. Whoaaa!’
His corpse looks he is now younger than Imelda Marcos!! He could now even have a date with Marilyn Monroe. If that happens Imelda is in jeopardy of not getting even a single cent of Marcos loot!!
nanie geronimo says
This is good jounrnalism. Factual, intriguing, and explains the psyche of the Narcoses, este Marcoses. Well, they will wiat for a long time until his remains get buried where they want to. Evil will NOT succeed. They can try. But in the end, good will prevail.
sten says
you’re great as always ma’am. how you outscoop those lazy mainstream journalist is beyond me. dapat sa pamilyang ‘to, pinapaliit ang mundo. thanks to you, there’s still truth out there that we can get no matter how much money the marcoses are willing to pay just to bury their clown of a patriach!
raissa says
just by being curious.
As Mark Twain said, “Curiosity killed the cat. Satisfaction brought it back.”
Thanks for reading, Sten, and have a wonderful tomorrow.
Evangeline Eriksson says
Wheww! Raissa Again! This is the most sensational of all that you have written about the Marcos burial. Amazing how you found all those secrets. You are a Superwoman.
Hellraker says
[I know that President Benigno Aquino has stated that Marcos won’t be buried at Libingan – “not on my watch.”]
So President Do-Nothing Aquino has actually stated something useful?
I wonder if it really means, Marcos receives a hero’s burial after Aquino is out of office?
President Corazon Aquino had more balls than her son.
Wynne says
Really do nothing aquino? Use ur browser and search his projects and accomplishments instead of displaying ur dumbness here