Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday that he hopes Filipinos would forgive the late President Ferdinand Marcos following Marcos' sudden burial at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani earlier in the day.

Read: Marcos buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani

In an interview after his arrival in Lima, Peru for the 24th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, Duterte likewise urged people who have been hurt or injured by the Marcos regime to file a case instead.

"I would like to pray that everybody will find a space in his heart for forgiveness, and for those who have been somehow hurt or injured that they can take some other option to file a case," Duterte said.

Duterte, who has said that he admires the late strongman, supported Marcos' burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, saying that he deserves to be buried there under the law. The Marcos family thanked the President shortly after the burial.

Read: Marcos family thanks Duterte for allowing burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

But opponents argued that Marcos did not deserve to be buried there because of the atrocities committed during Martial Law, such as widespread corruption and human rights violations.

Read: Martial Law victims: Never forget

Maximum tolerance

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, who joined the President in Peru, later said in a media briefing that Duterte called for protesters and law enforcers to exercise maximum tolerance even as the Chief Executive gave a go-signal to protests that will follow after the Marcos burial.

"We understand that there is a segment of society against the burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani," Abella said. "The President fully understands this and has allowed any form of mass action as long as it is legal, peaceful and in accordance with the law."

Abella said the decision to bury the late President is a personal decision of the Marcos family and that no law bars the Marcoses from burying their patriarch after the Supreme Court ruling in the Marcos burial.

"We respect their choice of date for the interment," he said. "The Supreme Court lifted the status quo ante order and allowed the interment of the remains and the President adheres to the ruling of the High Court."

In August, the Supreme Court stopped burial preparations, after victims of human rights abuses during Martial Law filed a petition.

Read: Supreme Court stops preparations for Marcos burial at LNMB

On November 8, the high court finally ruled — in a split decision, with 9 justices in favor and 5 justices against — to allow the former President's burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The Court said Marcos is qualified for burial at the Libingan under AFP regulations.

Read: Supreme Court allows burial of Marcos at Heroes' Cemetery

The burial occurred while petitioners were still planning to file a motion asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling.