International News

MANILA, Oct 17 (APP/AFP): The daughter of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos called for forgiveness on Monday as she led a rally at the Supreme Court urging it to approve a controversial hero’s burial for her father. About 1,000 supporters gathered with Imee Marcos at the court, which may announce on Tuesday whether it approves President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to allow the burial at Manila’s National Heroes’ Cemetery 27 years after the strongman died. Imee, governor of the family’s northern stronghold of Ilocos Norte, cited Pope Francis as she called for human rights victims and other critics of the dictatorship to abandon their campaign against the burial plan. “To those who are criticising and who are not allied with us, I hope you set aside your grievances. All of us have anger and bitterness in our hearts but we should set that aside because, as the pope said: ‘When we forgive, you will be free and happy’,” Marcos told reporters outside the Supreme Court. However she maintained her family’s longtime position that her father, accused of plundering billions of dollars and overseeing widespread human rights abuses during his 21-year rule, was a positive force for the country.