Marcos burial: Ocampo vs.

Enriquez (majority opinion campaign promise to have the remains of Marcos interred at the
digest) LNMB?
Saturnino C. Ocampo, et al. vs. Rear Admiral Ernesto C.
Enriquez, et al., G.R. No. 225973; Rep. Edcel C. Lagman vs. 2) Whether the issuance and implementation of the assailed
Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, G.R. No. 226097, memorandum and directive violate the Constitution, domestic
November 8, 2016 and international laws?
3) Whether historical facts, laws enacted to recover ill-gotten
Facts: wealth from the Marcoses and their cronies, and the
pronouncements of the Court on the Marcos regime have
During the campaign period for the 2016 Presidential Election, nullified his entitlement as a soldier and former President to
then candidate Rodrigo R. Duterte publicly announced that he interment at the LNMB?
would allow the burial former President Ferdinand E. Marcos at
the Libingan ng Mga Bayani ("LNMB"). 4) Whether the Marcos family is deemed to have waived the
burial of the remains of former President Marcos at the LNMB
On August 7, 2016, Secretary of National Defense Delfin N. after they entered into an agreement with the Government of
Lorenzana issued a Memorandum to the Chief of Staff of the the Republic of the Philippines as to the conditions and
AFP, General Ricardo R. Visaya, regarding the interment of procedures by which his remains shall be brought back to and
former President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga interred in the Philippines?
Bayani. Duterte won the May 9, 2016 election and formally
assumed his office at the Rizal Hall in the Malacanan Palace. RULING

On August 9, 2016, AFP Rear Admiral Ernest C. Enriquez issued The petitions must be dismissed.
a directive to the Philippine Army regarding the Funeral Honors
and Service for President Marcos. Procedural issues

Dissatisfied with the foregoing issuance, the petitioners filed a Political question
Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition and Petition for Mandamus
and Prohibition with the Court. The Court agrees with the OSG that President Duterte's decision
to have the remains of Marcos interred at the LNMB involves a
ISSUES political question that is not a justiciable controversy. In the
excercise of his powers under the Constitution and the
1) Whether the respondents Secretary of National Defense and Administrative Code of 1987 to allow the interment of Marcos at
AFP Rear Admiral committed grave abuse of discretion, the LNMB, which is a land of the public domain devoted for
amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction, when they issued national military cemetery and military shrine purposes,
the assailed memorandum and directive in compliance with the President Duterte decided a question of policy based on his
verbal order of President Duterte to implement his election wisdom that it shall promote national healing and forgiveness.
There being no taint of grave abuse in the exercise of such
discretion, as discussed below, President Duterte's decision on Exhaustion of administrative remedies
that political question is outside the ambit of judicial review.
Locus standi Petitioners violated the exhaustion of administrative
remedies. Contrary to their claim of lack of plain, speedy,
Petitioners have no legal standing to file the petitions for adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law, petitioners
certiorari, prohibition and mandamus because they failed to should be faulted for failing to seek reconsideration of the
show that they have suffered or will suffer direct and personal assailed memorandum and directive before the Secretary of
injury as a result of the interment of Marcos at the LNMB. National Defense. The Secretary of National Defense should be
given opportunity to correct himself, if warranted, considering
Petitioners cannot also file as taxpayers. They merely claim that AFP Regulations G 161-375 was issued upon his order.
illegal disbursement of public funds, without showing that Questions on the implementation and interpretation thereof
Marcos is disqualified to be interred at the LNMB by either demand the exercise of sound administrative discretion,
express or implied provision of the Constitution, the laws or requiring the special knowledge, experience and services of his
jurisprudence. office to determine technical and intricate matters of fact. If
petitioners would still be dissatisfied with the decision of the
Petitioners Saguisag, et al., as members of the Bar, failed to Secretary, they could elevate the matter before the Office of the
disclose the direct or potential injury which they may suffer as a President which has control and supervision over the
result of the act complained of. Their interest in this case is too Department of National Defense (DND).
general and shared by other groups, such that their duty to
uphold the rule of law, without more, is inadequate to clothe Hierarchy of Courts
them with requisite legal standing.
While direct resort to the Court through petitions for the
Petitioners also failed to prove that the case is of transcendental extraordinary writs of certiorari, prohibition and mandamus are
importance. At this point in time, the interment of Marcos at a allowed under exceptional cases, which are lacking in this case,
cemetery originally established as a national military cemetery petitioners cannot simply brush aside the doctrine of hierarchy
and declared a national shrine would have no profound effect on of courts that requires such petitions to be filed first with the
the political, economic, and other aspects of our national life proper Regional Trial Court (RTC). The RTC is not just a trier of
considering that more than twenty-seven (27) years since his facts, but can also resolve questions of law in the exercise of its
death and thirty (30) years after his ouster have already passed. original and concurrent jurisdiction over petitions for certiorari,
Significantly, petitioners failed to demonstrate a clear and prohibition and mandamus, and has the power to issue
imminent threat to their fundamental constitutional rights. restraining order and injunction when proven necessary.

As to petitioners Senator De Lima and Congressman Lagman, Substantive issues

they failed to show that the burial of Marcos encroaches on their
prerogatives as legislators.
I. The President's decision to bury Marcos at the LNMB is in it that all laws are enforced by the officials and employees of his
accordance with the Constitution, the law of jurisprudence or her department. Under the Faithful Execution Clause, the
President has the power to take "necessary and proper steps" to
While the Constitution is a product of our collective history as a carry into execution the law. The mandate is self-executory by
people, its entirety should not be interpreted as providing virtue of its being inherently executive in nature and is
guiding principles to just about anything remotely related to the intimately related to the other executive functions. It is best
Martial Law period such as the proposed Marcos burial at the construed as an imposed obligation, not a separate grant of
LNMB. power. The provision simply underscores the rule of law and,
corollarily, the cardinal principle that the President is not above
Section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution is not a self-executing the laws but is obliged to obey and execute them.
provision considering that a law should be passed by the
Congress to clearly define and effectuate the principle There is no violation of RA 289
embodied therein. Pursuant thereto, Congress enacted the Code
of Conduct on Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Petitioners miserably failed to provide legal and historical bases
Employees, the Ombudsman Act of 1989, Plunder Act, and Anti- as to their supposition that the LNMB and the National Pantheon
Red Tape Act of 2007. To complement these statutes, the are one and the same. This is not at all unexpected because the
Executive Branch has issued various orders, memoranda, and LNMB is distinct and separate from the burial place envisioned
instructions relative to the norms of behavior/code of in R.A. No 289. The parcel of land subject matter of President
conduct/ethical standards of officials and employees; workflow Quirino's Proclamation No. 431, which was later on revoked by
charts/public transactions; rules and policies on gifts and President Magsaysay's Proclamation No. 42, is different from
benefits; whistle blowing and reporting; and client feedback that covered by Marcos' Proclamation No. 208. The National
program Pantheon does not exist at present. To date, the Congress has
deemed it wise not to appropriate any funds for its construction
Petitioners' reliance on Sec. 3(2) of Art. XIV and Sec. 26 of Art. X or the creation of the Board on National Pantheon. This is
VIII of the Constitution is also misplaced. Sec. 3(2) of Art. XIV indicative of the legislative will not to pursue, at the moment,
refers to the constitutional duty of educational institutions in the establishment of a singular interment place for the mortal
teaching the values of patriotism and nationalism and respect remains of all Presidents of the Philippines, national heroes, and
for human rights, while Sec. 26 of Art. XVIII is a transitory patriots.
provision on sequestration or freeze orders in relation to the
recovery of Marcos' ill-gotten wealth. Clearly, with respect to Furthermore, to apply the standard that the LNMB is reserved
these provisions, there is no direct or indirect prohibition to only for the "decent and the brave" or "hero" would be violative
Marcos' interment at the LNMB. of public policy as it will put into question the validity of the
burial of each and every mortal remains resting therein, and
The second sentence of Sec. 17 of Art. VII is likewise not infringe upon the principle of separation of powers since the
violated by public respondents. Being the Chief Executive, allocation of plots at the LNMB is based on the grant of authority
the President represents the government as a whole and sees to to the President under existing laws and regulations. Also, the
Court shares the view of the OSG that the proposed interment is benefits provided for by R.A. No 10368 and other domestic laws
not equivalent to the consecration of Marcos' mortal remains. are not curtailed. R.A. No. 10368 does not amend or repeal,
The act in itself does not confer upon him the status of a "hero." whether express or implied, the provisions of the Administrative
Despite its name, which is actually a misnomer, the purpose of Code or AFP Regulations G 161-375.
the LNMB, both from legal and historical perspectives, has
neither been to confer to the people buried there the title of There is no violation of International Human Rights Laws
"hero" nor to require that only those interred therein should be
treated as a "hero." Lastly, petitioners' repeated reference to a The nation's history will not be instantly revised by a single
"hero's burial" and "state honors," without showing proof as to resolve of President Duterte, acting through the public
what kind of burial or honors that will be accorded to the respondents, to bury Marcos at the LNMB. Whether petitioners
remains of Marcos, is speculative until the specifics of the admit it or not, the lessons of Martial Law are already engraved,
interment have been finalized by public respondents. albeit in varying degrees, in the hearts and minds of the present
generation of Filipinos. As to the unborn, it must be said that the
RA 10639 is not violated preservation and popularization of our history is not the sole
responsibility of the Chief Executive; it is a joint and collective
The Court cannot subscribe to petitioners' logic that the endeavor of every freedom-loving citizen of this country.
beneficial provisions of R.A. No. 10368 are not exclusive as it
includes the prohibition on Marcos' burial at the LNMB. It would Notably, complementing the statutory powers and functions of
be undue to extend the law beyond what it actually the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board and the HRVV Memorial
contemplates. With its victim-oriented perspective, our Commission in the memorialization of HRVV s, the National
legislators could have easily inserted a provision specifically Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), formerly known
proscribing Marcos' interment at the LNMB as a "reparation" for as the National Historical Institute (NHJ), is mandated to act as
the Human Rights Violations Victims (HRVVs). The law is silent the primary government agency responsible for history and is
and should remain to be so. This Court cannot read into the law authorized to determine all factual matters relating to official
what is simply not there. It is irregular, if not unconstitutional, Philippine history.
for Us to presume the legislative will by supplying material
details into the law. That would be tantamount to judicial II. The President's decision to bury Marcos at the LNMB is not
legislation. done whimsically, capriciously or arbitrarily, out of malice, ill will
or personal bias
The enforcement of the HRVV s' rights under R.A. No 10368 will The LNMB was not expressly included in the national
surely not be impaired by the interment of Marcos at the LNMB. shrines enumerated in PD 105
As opined by the OSG, the assailed act has no causal connection
and legal relation to the law. The subject memorandum and P.D. No. 105 does not apply to the LNMB. Despite the fact that
directive of public respondents do not and cannot interfere with P.D. No. 208 predated P.D. No. 105, the LNMB was not expressly
the statutory powers and functions of the Board and the included in the national shrines enumerated in the latter. The
Commission. More importantly, the HRVVs' entitlements to the proposition that the LNMB is implicitly covered in the catchall
phrase "and others which may be proclaimed in the future as or rescind political agreements entered into by his predecessors,
National Shrines" is erroneous because: (1) As stated, Marcos and to determine policies which he considers, based on
issued P.D. No. 208 prior to P.D. No. 105; (2) Following the canon informed judgment and presumed wisdom, will be most
of statutory construction known as ejusdem generis, 138 the effective in carrying out his mandate.
LNMB is not a site "of the birth, exile, imprisonment, detention
or death of great and eminent leaders of the nation,"; and (3) Moreover, under the Administrative Code, the President has the
Since its establishment, the LNMB has been a military shrine power to reserve for public use and for specific public purposes
under the jurisdiction of the PVAO. any of the lands of the public domain and that the reserved land
shall remain subject to the specific public purpose indicated
Assuming that P.D. No. 105 is applicable, the descriptive words until otherwise provided by law or proclamation. At present,
"sacred and hallowed" refer to the LNMB as a place and not to there is no law or executive issuance specifically excluding the
each and every mortal remains interred therein. Hence, the land in which the LNMB is located from the use it was originally
burial of Marcos at the LNMB does not diminish said cemetery as intended by the past Presidents. The allotment of a cemetery
a revered and respected ground. Neither does it negate the plot at the LNMB for Marcos as a former President and
presumed individual or collective "heroism" of the men and Commander-in-Chief, a legislator, a Secretary of National
women buried or will be buried therein. The "nation's esteem Defense, a military personnel, a veteran, and a Medal of Valor
and reverence for her war dead, " as originally contemplated by awardee, whether recognizing his contributions or simply his
President Magsaysay in issuing Proclamation No. 86, still stands status as such, satisfies the public use requirement. The
unaffected. That being said, the interment of Marcos, therefore, disbursement of public funds to cover the expenses incidental to
does not constitute a violation of the physical, historical, and the burial is granted to compensate him for valuable public
cultural integrity of the LNMB as a national military shrine. services rendered.

The LNMB is considered as a national shrine for military Likewise, President Duterte's determination to have Marcos'
memorials. The PVAO, which is empowered to administer, remains interred at the LNMB was inspired by his desire for
develop, and maintain military shrines, is under the supervision national healing and reconciliation. Presumption of regularity in
and control of the DND. The DND, in tum, is under the Office of the performance of official duty prevails over petitioners' highly
the President. disputed factual allegation that, in the guise of exercising a
presidential prerogative, the Chief Executive is actually
The presidential power of control over the Executive Branch of motivated by utang na loob (debt of gratitude) and bayad utang
Government is a self-executing provision of the Constitution and (payback) to the Marcoses. As the purpose is not self-evident,
does not require statutory implementation, nor may its exercise petitioners have the burden of proof to establish the factual
be limited, much less withdrawn, by the legislature. This is why basis of their claim. They failed. Even so, this Court cannot take
President Duterte is not bound by the alleged 1992 cognizance of factual issues since We are not a trier of facts.
Agreement between former President Ramos and the Marcos
family to have the remains of Marcos interred in Batac, Ilocos AFP Regulations G 161-375 must be sustained
Norte. As the incumbent President, he is free to amend, revoke
Under AFP Regulations G 161-375, the following are eligible for AFP Regulations G 161-375 should not be stricken down in the
interment at the LNMB: (a) Medal of Valor Awardees; (b) absence of clear and unmistakable showing that it has been
Presidents or Commanders-in-Chief, AFP; ( c) Secretaries of issued with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or
National Defense; ( d) Chiefs of Staff, AFP; ( e) General/Flag excess of jurisdiction. Neither could it be considered ultra vires
Officers of the AFP; (f) Active and retired military personnel of for purportedly providing incomplete, whimsical, and capricious
the AFP to include active draftees and trainees who died in line standards for qualification for burial at the LNMB.
of duty, active reservists and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) who
died in combat operations or combat related activities; (g) It is not contrary to the "well-established custom," as the dissent
Former members of the AFP who laterally entered or joined the described it, to argue that the word "bayani" in the LNMB has
PCG and the PNP; (h) Veterans of Philippine Revolution of 1890, become a misnomer since while a symbolism of heroism may
WWI, WWII and recognized guerillas; (i) Government Dignitaries, attach to the LNMB as a national shrine for military memorial,
Statesmen, National Artists and other deceased persons whose the same does not automatically attach to its feature as a
interment or reinterment has been approved by the military cemetery and to those who were already laid or will be
Commander-in-Chief, Congress or the Secretary of National laid therein. As stated, the purpose of the LNMB, both from the
Defense; and G) Former Presidents, Secretaries of Defense, legal and historical perspectives, has neither been to confer to
Dignitaries, Statesmen, National Artists, widows of Former the people buried there the title of "hero" nor to require that
Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense and Chief of Staff. only those interred therein should be treated as a "hero."

Similar to AFP Regulations G 161-374, the following are not In fact, the privilege of internment at the LNMB has been loosen
qualified to be interred in the LNMB: (a) Personnel who were up through the years. Since 1986, the list of eligible includes not
dishonorably separated/reverted/discharged from the service; only those who rendered active military service or military-
and (b) Authorized personnel who were convicted by final related activities but also non-military personnel who were
judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude. recognized for their significant contributions to the Philippine
society (such as government dignitaries, statesmen, national
In the absence of any executive issuance or law to the contrary, artists, and other deceased persons whose interment or
the AFP Regulations G 161-375 remains to be the sole authority reinterment has been approved by the Commander-in-Chief,
in determining who are entitled and disqualified to be interred at Congress or Secretary of National Defense). In 1998, the widows
the LNMB. Interestingly, even if they were empowered to do so, of former Presidents, Secretaries of National Defense and Chief
former Presidents Corazon C. Aquino and Benigno Simeon C. of Staff were added to the list. Whether or not the extension of
Aquino III, who were themselves aggrieved at the Martial Law, burial privilege to civilians is unwarranted and should be
did not revise the rules by expressly prohibiting the burial of restricted in order to be consistent with the original purpose of
Marcos at the LNMB. The validity of AFP Regulations G 161-375 the LNMB is immaterial and irrelevant to the issue at bar since it
must, therefor, be sustained for having been issued by the AFP is indubitable that Marcos had rendered significant active
Chief of Staff acting under the direction of the Secretary of military service and military-related activities.
National Defense, who is the alter ego of the President.
Petitioners did not dispute that Marcos was a former President and a former President. The conditions of dishonorable
and Commander-in-Chief, a legislator, a Secretary of National discharge under the Articles of War attach only to the members
Defense, a military personnel, a veteran, and a Medal of Valor of the military. There is also no substantial distinction between
awardee. For his alleged human rights abuses and corrupt Marcos and the three Philippine Presidents buried at the LNMB
practices, we may disregard Marcos as a President and (Presidents Quirino, Garcia, and Macapagal). All of them were
Commander-in-Chief, but we cannot deny him the right to be not convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. In addition,
acknowledged based on the other positions he held or the the classification between a military personnel and a former
awards he received. In this sense, We agree with the proposition President is germane to the purposes of Proclamation No. 208
that Marcos should be viewed and judged in his totality as a and P.D. No. 1076. While the LNMB is a national shrine for
person. While he was not all good, he was not pure evil either. military memorials, it is also an active military cemetery that
Certainly, just a human who erred like us. recognizes the status or position held by the persons interred
therein.
Aside from being eligible for burial at the LNMB, Marcos
possessed none of the disqualifications stated in AFP Likewise, Marcos was honorably discharged from military
Regulations G 161-3 7 5. He was neither convicted by final service. PVAO expressly recognized him as a retired veteran
judgment of the offense involving moral turpitude nor pursuant to R.A. No. 6948, as amended. Petitioners have not
dishonorably separated/reverted/discharged from active military shown that he was dishonorably discharged from military
service. service under APP Circular 17, Series of 1987 (Administrative
Discharge Prior to Expiration of Term of Enlistment) for violating
The fact remains that Marcos was not convicted by final Articles 94, 95 and 97 of the Articles of War. The NHCP study is
judgment of any offense involving moral turpitude. No less than incomplete with respect to his entire military career as it failed
the 1987 Constitution mandates that a person shall not be held to cite and include the official records of the AFP.
to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law.
The word "service" in AFP Regulations G 161-375 should be
Also, the equal protection clause is not violated. Generally, there construed as that rendered by a military person in the AFP,
is no property right to safeguard because even if one is eligible including civil service, from the time of his/her commission,
to be buried at the LNMB, such fact would only give him or her enlistment, probation, training or drafting, up to the date of
the privilege to be interred therein. Unless there is a favorable his/her separation or retirement from the AFP. Civil service after
recommendation from the Commander- in-Chief, the Congress honorable separation and retirement from the AFP is outside the
or the Secretary of National Defense, no right can be said to context of "service" under AFP Regulations G 161-375.
have ripen. Until then, such inchoate right is not legally
demandable and enforceable. Hence, it cannot be conveniently claimed that Marcos' ouster
from the presidency during the EDSA Revolution is tantamount
Assuming that there is a property right to protect, the requisites to his dishonorable separation, reversion or discharge from the
of equal protection clause are not met. 181 In this case, there is military service. The fact that the President is the Commander-
a real and substantial distinction between a military personnel in-Chief of the AFP under the 1987 Constitution only enshrines
the principle of supremacy of civilian authority over the military. non-profit organization established for the purpose of providing
Not being a military person who may be prosecuted before the aid to the victims of rape by Japanese military forces in the
court martial, the President can hardly be deemed "dishonorably Philippines during the Second World War. Petitioners narrate that
separated/reverted/discharged from the service" as during the Second World War, the Japanese army attacked
contemplated by AFP Regulations G 161-375. Dishonorable villages and systematically raped the women as part of the
discharge through a successful revolution is an extra- destruction of the village. Their communities were bombed,
constitutional and direct sovereign act of the people which is houses were looted and burned, and civilians were publicly
beyond the ambit of judicial review, let alone a mere tortured, mutilated, and slaughtered. Japanese soldiers forcibly
administrative regulation. seized the women and held them in houses or cells, where they
were repeatedly raped, beaten, and abused by Japanese
IIt is undeniable that former President Marcos was forced out of soldiers. As a result of the actions of their Japanese tormentors,
office by the people through the so-called EDSA Revolution. Said the petitioners have spent their lives in misery, having endured
political act of the people should not be automatically given a physical injuries, pain and disability, and mental and emotional
particular legal meaning other than its obvious consequence - suffering. Petitioners claim that since 1998, they have
that of ousting him as president. To do otherwise would lead the approached the Executive Department through the DOJ, DFA,
Court to the treacherous and perilous path of having to make and OSG, requesting assistance in filing a claim against the
choices from multifarious inferences or theories arising from the Japanese officials and military officers who ordered the
various acts of the people. It is not the function of the Court, for establishment of the comfort women stations in the Philippines.
instance, to divine the exact implications or significance of the However, officials of the Executive Department declined to
number of votes obtained in elections, or the message from the assist the petitioners, and took the position that the individual
number of participants in public assemblies. If the Court is not claims of the comfort women for compensation had already
to fall into the pitfalls of getting embroiled in political and been fully satisfied by Japans compliance with the Peace Treaty
oftentimes emotional, if not acrimonious, debates, it must between the Philippines and Japan.
remain steadfast in abiding by its recognized guiding stars -
clear constitutional and legal rules - not by the uncertain, ISSUE: Whether or not respondents committed grave abuse of
ambiguous and confusing messages from the actions of the discretion amounting to lack or excess of discretion in refusing
people. to espouse their claims for the crimes against humanity and war
crimes committed against them.

Vinuya, et al. v. Executive Secretary, et al. HELD: There is no grave abuse of discretion.
G.R. No. 162230 : April 28, 2010
POLITICAL LAW: political questions
FACTS:
Political questions refer "to those questions which, under the
Petitioners are all members of the MALAYA LOLAS, a non-stock, Constitution, are to be decided by the people in their sovereign
capacity, or in regard to which full discretionary authority has
been delegated to the legislative or executive branch of the Department has already decided that it is to the best interest of
government. It is concerned with issues dependent upon the the country to waive all claims of its nationals for reparations
wisdom, not legality of a particular measure." Certain types of against Japan in the Treaty of Peace of 1951.The wisdom of such
cases often have been found to present political questions. One decision is not for the courts to question. Neither could
such category involves questions of foreign relations. It is well- petitioners herein assail the said determination by the Executive
established that "the conduct of the foreign relations of our Department via the instant petition for certiorari.
government is committed by the Constitution to the executive
and legislative--'the political'--departments of the government, The Executive Department has determined that taking up
and the propriety of what may be done in the exercise of this petitioners cause would be inimical to our country's foreign
political power is not subject to judicial inquiry or decision." policy interests, and could disrupt our relations with Japan,
thereby creating serious implications for stability in this region.
Not all cases implicating foreign relations present political For the Court to overturn the Executive Departments
questions, and courts certainly possess the authority to determination would mean an assessment of the foreign policy
construe or invalidate treaties and executive agreements. judgments by a coordinate political branch to which authority to
However, the question whether the Philippine government make that judgment has been constitutionally committed.
should espouse claims of its nationals against a foreign
government is a foreign relations matter, the authority for which The petition is DISMISSED.
is demonstrably committed by our Constitution not to the courts
but to the political branches. In this case, the Executive