The late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. would have been 107 years old today. He died 35 years ago in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii almost three weeks after his 72nd birthday.
The late strongman’s death and eventual burial were as controversial as the life he lived. Thirty-one years ago this month, the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. arrived in the Philippines.
Then President Fidel V. Ramos has allowed the return on the condition that the remains of his second cousin will be brought directly to Ilocos Norte. And so, on September 7, 1993, the chartered flight bearing the remains of Marcos, Sr. landed at the Laoag International Airport.
The body was temporarily interred in Batac at the Marcos mausoleum. It was to remain there in an air-conditioned crypt for the next 23 years until President Rodrigo Duterte allowed Marcos Sr.’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 2016.
The negotiations between the government and the Marcos family were contained in an operation that was later known as Oplan Pagbabalik. It topped the agenda of a Cabinet meeting in August 1993, a month before the arrival of the Marcos body. I have written about this lengthily in my book Behind the Red Pen which was released in April 2022. Let me share with you excerpts of what was in the book:
“As a back story, President Cory approved the return of Marcos’ remains in 1992 but only after the May elections so that the government could focus on ensuring peace and order during the polls. Thus, the responsibility of handling the return of the Marcos body fell on President FVR, a second cousin of the late president. Originally, Mrs. (Imelda) Marcos planned to bring in the body in September 1992 but postponed it for a year.
“During FVR’s visit to Laoag in October 1992, Imelda was at the airport to welcome the presidential party … However, a few more months after that trip to Laoag, the FVR Cabinet was already preparing Oplan Pagbabalik. It turned out the administration and the camp of the Marcoses had been negotiating quietly.
“Then Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III submitted a Plan of Action to the Cabinet, detailing all the necessary arrangements for the return and burial of President Marcos. It was eventually approved by FVR.
“Alunan wrote: We have forged a meeting of the minds with Congressmen Roquito Ablan and Bongbong Marcos. It revolves around the letter of undertaking submitted by Congressman Ablan to the President. The President gave his conditional approval provided Imelda Marcos and her children agree to it, additional documents turned in by Congressman Ablan, and NO to a wake at the Consulate in Honolulu.
“Basically, the letter says that the funeral rites will be simple, covering a four-day period, from Sept. 7 to 10 where the body will be brought directly to Laoag and for the ceremonies to be confined within Ilocos Norte. There has been substantial compliance so far, thus, the green light is still on.
“As advised by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the family decided to waive the military honors due a Major. The PNP has been advised of your instructions that the government will not post a security detail in excess of two, and will not object to private bands and veterans groups from being used by the family to accord honors to the late President.
“We have three Task Force commanders: One TF to directly oversee Oplan Pagbabalik proper in Ilocos Norte, another one in Metro Manila, and another TF to control the highway in Region 1, especially to Agoo, La Union. We are awaiting the submission of the final passenger manifest which was promised on or before September 2, as well as the approved Flight Plan. The body is scheduled to leave Honolulu for Guam on September 5 and leave Guam for Laoag on September 7. Continental Flight No. 11, a Boeing 727 aircraft, has been chartered to bring in the body.
“So far, we have no reason to believe that the Marcos family will renege on the agreement. The meetings have been cordial and accommodating. Congressman Marcos called to convey his thanks to you, Mr. President, for allowing the use of the National Tobacco Administration building (NTA) across Don Mariano Marcos State University, and for the inbound passengers aboard
Flight 11 to leave the country via Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“While Oplan Pagbabalik was hatched only in 1993, the government’s approval for the return of the ex-president’s body was sealed on August 19, 1992 after the former First Lady signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Secretary Alunan.
“The MOU basically set the date of the body’s return, originally, on September 1, 1992 and that, Mrs. Marcos agreed to the specified terms and conditions contained in the two-page document. The agreement also set the date of the burial on September 9, 1992 in Batac, Ilocos Norte. No part in the agreement stated that the burial will take place in Manila, much less at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. For some reasons, Imelda changed her mind and decided to postpone the return of her husband’s remains for another year. By the time Oplan Pagbabalik was activated, Mrs. Marcos has designated Ablan as the official representative of the family in finalizing the terms of the agreement for the September 1993 burial.”
