Anti-Marcos protests to greet Duterte upon arrival from APEC Summit
Groups opposed to the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani have vowed to hold daily protest actions leading to the big indignation rally set on Friday.
A report by GMA News' Mark Salazar on "24 Oras" on Tuesday said the groups are pressing President Rodrigo Duterte to order the exhumation of Marcos' remains since he was the one who allowed the hero's burial for the former leader.
"Siya ang arkitekto nitong paglilibing ni Marcos sa Libingan ng mga Bayani," said iDefend spokesperson Eleazar Carlos in the report.
"Hawak na ni Presidente Duterte ang dalawa pang sangay ng gobyerno, ang mababa at mataas na kapulungan ng Kongreso, at siyempre ang Hudikatura," he added.
Friday's rally, dubbed as Black Friday Movement, is expected to coincide with Duterte's arrival from his trip to Peru to attend the APEC Leaders' Summit.
The report said the groups are also ready to bring their campaign to social media even in the face of attacks from pro-Marcos loyalists.
"It can be disheartening, it's burdensome as well, but we have to persist," said Kat Leuch of the Block Marcos Movement.
On Monday night, the groups attended a Mass and dialogue at the Church of the Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City to determine their next steps regarding the planned protests.
Meanwhile, as this developed, Marcos loyalists from Ilocos Norte continued to visit his grave at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
"Nawa sa pagkakalagak dito ng huling labi ng ating dating pangulo, malagak na rin at maligtas ang napakaraming himutok, ang maraming mga galit," a Marcos supporter said in the report.
Others chose not to comment on the actions of the anti-Marcos groups, saying that would be improper while at the grave of "Apo."
"Nandito kami, parang pangit yata. Parang hindi ba, parang partial kami hindi ba," a female supporter said.
Most of the loyalists at Marcos' grave journeyed from Ilocos Norte on jeeps to pray for Martial Law victims, the report said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News