More than a week after a Philippine supreme court’s decision, the former president Ferdinand E Marcos has been buried at the Heroes’ Cemetery, in Metro Manila. In what is seen as a surprisingly quick move by his family, the enbalmed dictator’s body was flown over in secret in an attempt to avoid protests.

Public concern over Marcos’ final resting place, who died aged 72 in 1989, is focused on whether he deserved to be buried at Heroes’ Cemetery, known as Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB). The cemetery, in Taguig City, south-east Metro Manila, commemorates war veterans and “national heroes” and is also a burial site for dignitaries and renowned artists and scientists, as well as presidents.

Marcos is a polarising figure among the people of the Philippines. His presidency spanned 1965 to 1986 and during his first term the government developed the country’s infrastructure building many schools and hospitals. But Marcos is most likely to be remembered for his declaration of martial law, in his second term, a period which led to the closure of more than 80 newspapers, 292 radio stations and public utility services providing electricity, water and transport.

While Marcos sought to implement his vision of a new republic – promoted in the movement Kilusang Bagong Lipunan – his martial law, from 1972 to 1981, caused the deaths of 3,240 people, imprisonment of 70,000 and torture of 34,000, according to Amnesty International.

Rodrigo Duterte, the current president of the Philippines defended the decision over the burial of Marcos, ruling it to be in the public interest, and stressing that the president had been a war veteran.

Here we hear from members of the public about what the burial means for them.

‘LNMB regulations are very clear’



Should he have been buried in LNMB? Yes, very much so. As [he was] a former soldier and twice elected president of the country, the supreme court decision is as straightforward as it gets. Regulations stipulate who should be buried at the LNMB and these are very clear. [Burial] there does not confer any sort of hero status to anyone, and one can argue that the name of the place is a misnomer given that not everyone buried there deserves to be called a hero. That being said, a lot of the coverage ignores the fact that a sizable number of Filipinos view Marcos as a great president for one reason or another. The decision brings closure to countless Filipinos who can finally put an end to a widely divisive issue.

Ronald Po, 35, industrial engineer, Quezon City

‘I suffered 13 years hiding underground, a year and a half in prison’

I am one of many petitioners who asked the supreme court to overturn their decision. Due to martial law, I suffered 13 years hiding underground and a year and a half in prison, with over a month in solitary confinement. I graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1969 and went on to teach English there. During this time I was a contributing editor at Graphic magazine and wrote articles attacking Marcos, beginning with the “first quarter storm” in 1970 [an uprising against Marcos led by students and workers].

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mila (pictured left) with friends at the Great Lean Run in University of the Philippines Diliman. Photograph: Mila D Aguilar

In 1972, my husband and I were accused of subversion and rebellion and had to go into hiding. I had to leave my son with my mother – he was only 18 months old. When I finally saw him again he was already 17 years old. In 1984 I was arrested and imprisoned. I was freed in 1986 through the auspices of President Cory Aquino.

Mila D Aguilar, 67, poet, Quezon City

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Krip Yuson

‘Many Filipinos still bear the scars of his plundering’



He should definitely not have been buried in the LNMB. He is no hero, and so many Filipinos still bear the scars of his depredations and plundering during his one-man rule. Our people power revolution that ousted him is enough to mean that his rule as president ended dishonourably, so that no legalistic reckoning of his right to be buried in hallowed ground should take precedence over our memories of how he and his family did our country much harm – and yet they managed to insinuate themselves back into political power, with absolutely no remorse.

The blame can also largely be laid on our new president who has been using his so-called popularity to ram through his callous decisions and policies, similar to his unconscionable “war on drugs”.



Krip Yuson, 71, writer and editor, Manila



‘He is a soldier after all’



He deserved a hero’s burial. He is a soldier who almost died in the Bataan death march during the second world war. Also, God forgives sinners. Some of the accusations made against him have not been proven, there are so many ambiguities and theories going around that it should be left alone. People should move on.

Ferdy, government employee, Tacloban

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Demonstrators by the Lapu Lapu monument in Rizal Park, Manila. Photograph: Jilmer Cariaga

‘The burial has been long overdue’



Marcos built a lot of our present day infrastructure, be it the LRT, Cultural Centre of the Philippines, or National Arts Centre, etc. The burial at the LNMB has been long overdue. He fought as a guerrilla in the second world war. Proud and patriotic as a Filipino, he lived his life serving the nation. I agree with Duterte allowing him his deserved burial. We need to move forward, heal the wounds and learn from the ugly past.

Venz P, 48, food chemist, Clark City, Pampanga

Marah

‘It would be spitting on the legacy of the people who fought to give me and others the freedom we enjoy today’



He is not worthy to be buried there. Heroes are those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. Marcos had stolen money, killed and tortured people (through his orders), and this alone should be reasons for him not to be buried there.

There are many families who have not had closure from the years of martial law. Some of their family members or friends are yet to be found. Women in detention centres were reportedly sexually abused, with people subjected to psychological, emotional and physical abuse, and the poverty rate of the Philippines increased during his time as president.

Burying Marcos in the LNMB would be spitting on the legacy of the people who fought to give me and younger people the freedom we enjoy today. It is because of those brave people that we owe our lives to them. If anyone should be buried in the Heroes’ Cemetery it should be them. Not a lying, stealing, dictator.



Marah, 23, brand manager, Quezon City