A Palace official on Sunday said those who will file charges against the government and military officials for the secrecy-shrouded burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani have a right to do so.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar was reacting to calls of lawyer Edre Olalia, secretary-general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), to cite the Marcos family and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in contempt of court for proceeding with the clandestine burial even as anappeal to the Supreme Court ruling was still being readied under court rules.

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Earlier this month, the high tribunal junked all petitions against President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bury Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery. The petitioners, who intended to file a motion for reconsideration, filed two separate urgent motions asking the court to reissue the status quo ante order (SQAO) against preparations for the burial pending finality of the ruling.

“The heirs of the tyrant have even outclassed him by showing brazen contempt even for the formal judicial and legal processes, not to mention mocking the cries for justice of the victims. It is consistent though with the lying, stealing & killing of the dictator: doing it with a straight face, washing hands, covering up & getting away with it,” Olalia said.

NUPL is the counsel of one of the petitioners against the burial.

Supreme Court spokesperson Atty. Theodore Te said there was no prohibition on the burial as the decision said that the SQAO was already lifted.

Andanar said Filipinos who took to the streets to voice their opposition are also free to do so. “Protesters can exercise their freedom to assemble,” he said.

Thousands of protesters, mostly students and millennials, marched on the streets last Friday after the Marcos family flew in the deposed tyrant’s remains from Ilocos and interred him at the heroes’ cemetery, which saw full military honors. including a 21-gun salute.

The private burial, which came 30 years after Marcos was ousted in the historic Edsa People Power Revolution, sparked protests in various parts of the country which are expected to continue in the coming weeks. RAM/rga

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