THE construction of the tomb of the former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani is more than halfway complete and the military is only awaiting the final date of the burial, Army spokesman Colonel Benjamin Hao said on Tuesday.
“The Army is upbeat of the preparations of the burial site and the construction is already 60 percent complete,” Hao said.
Marcos’ remains will be buried where three former presidents—Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado Macapagal and Carlos Garcia—were buried.
Hao said the Army is on standby for instruction specially on the final date of the burial ceremony.
“No burial schedule has been set so far. But again we are just waiting whatever order and the Army is prepared. We will follow orders,” he said.
Hao clarified that the Army will not speed up a single cent in the tomb preparations of Marcos.
“The works is being handled by a private contractor and I think the Marcos family shoulders the cost. I believed they opted to spend extra to make the tomb suits their loved one beign a former president,” he said.
He said the Marcos family is also “authorized” to construct a statue of the former president but he declined to reveal details.
Meanwhile, Hao said the Army will give Marcos military honors befitting a former head of state.
“Former presidents deserve a military honor fitted for them. When we say military honor it means arrival honors, funeral march, tribute, and final benediction. These are normal procedures,” he explained.
“Then there will be three volleys of fires followed by taps and then folding of the flag by the bearers that will be given to the family,” he added.
