The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) was just as shocked as the Filipino people when news that the late President Ferdinand Marcos was hurriedly buried in low key, ‘secret’ burial rites yesterday, November 18.
According to Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag, the PCO was not aware of the date of the burial.
In a press briefing, Banaag said, “So far, the PCO has no knowledge of that instruction. We don’t have any knowledge of the burial. The schedule and everything, we don’t have. Perhaps, the PNP [Philippine National Police], yes.”
She stressed, “We don’t really know. We honestly don’t know.”
The president wasn’t in attendance, too, as he was headed for Peru to attend the Asia Pcific Economic Cooperation meetings. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar was also with the president. It is unclear whether Andanar knew about the burial date but did not disclose it to other members of the PCO.
