MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang today said President Benigno Aquino III needs "a little more time" to decide on the recommendation of Vice President Jejomar Binay regarding the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
"It's best to wait for President Aquino's decision... We should allow the President a little more time to decide on the recommendation," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told state-run radio dzRB in an interview.
Valte made the request as journalists assigned in Malacañang await for an official statement from President Aquino regarding Binay's recommendation.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters yesterday that they will issue a statement regarding the recommendation today.
“We will issue a statement (tomorrow) regarding the Vice President’s recommendation,” Lacierda said on Friday.
Valte admitted that it was hard for President Aquino to immediately come up with a decision on Binay's recommendation because of his "personal history" with the Marcoses.
"We should remember that President Aquino asked Vice President Binay to give him recommendation [on the proposed burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani] because of his personal history, his involvement and his family's involvement in the issue," the deputy spokesperson said.
Valte, meanwhile, declined to give more details on Binay's recommendation to the President. She could not confirm the actual result of the survey that was conducted by Binay on all the stakeholders.
Reports had it that Binay has recommended full military honors for the burial of Marcos but the interment service must take place in Ilocos Norte and not at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City as earlier proposed.
Human rights victims during the Marcos era have protested the supposed recommendation. They did not want to give the late strongman full military honors because of his bad rights record.
Valte said that Malacañang will take into consideration the protests of the Marcos human rights violations in coming up with a decision on Binay's recommendation.
Valte, meanwhile, denied that allegations that Malacañang is using the Marcos burial issue for its proposal to postpone the August 8, 2011 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
A proposed measure at the Senate for the postponement of the ARMM elections is being heard by a committee headed by Marcos's son, Ferdinand Jr., who is strongly opposed to the recommendation.
Reports said that the senator and his family welcome the recommendation of Binay.