AFP ready to face possible contempt raps in wake of Marcos burial at LNMB

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 21): AFP ready to face possible contempt raps in wake of Marcos burial at LNMB

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday announced that it is more than ready to face possible contempt charges that might be thrown against them in wake of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos' controversial interment at the "Libingan Ng Mga Bayani" (LNMB) in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City last November 18.

"What we can say for the moment is that when the actual contempt charges are filed against us, then that's the time that we'll be able to answer," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

Earlier, militant and anti-Marcos groups have threatened to file contempt charges against the AFP for proceeding with the late president's interment as the 15-day period to file a motion for reconsideration has not yet lapsed.

The SC, in an en banc ruling last Nov. 8, has given the greenlight for the Marcos family to inter the late strongman at the LNMB.

Arevalo also shrugged off accusations that the burial was done in secret, citing that it was the clan's request to keep the affair confidential.

"It's not in secrecy, it just so happened that it was the request of the family. This request is usually given to all, even the most common soldier, the primary consideration is always the request of the bereaved family. So in the case of the former president, the family's request was that they be given conifdentiality, to give solemnity to the internment of the former president," he added.

"And to our viewpoint, we just implemented order, that's what we can say, we implemented orders," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=941913