Palace: We cannot force apology from Marcoses

Malacañang on Sunday said it will not force the issue of seeking an apology from the family of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos for human rights violations blamed on him, after the former strongman’s son, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said they will never do so. But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also maintained President Benigno Aquino III has already spoken and said he will not allow a state burial for Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. “You cannot force someone to apologize or acknowledge something they do not want to. As far as we are concerned, the burial remains a family issue," she said on government-run dzRB radio. She maintained that Aquino already made his decision after being asked to make one. “He was asked to decide and he did." Over the weekend, Sen. Marcos said the Marcos family will never apologize for violations of human rights blamed on the deposed leader. Former President Marcos was ousted in 1986 via a peaceful revolt that catapulted incumbent President Aquino’s late mother Corazon to the presidency. — KBK, GMA News