Filipino activists rally in LA against Ferdinand Marcos burial

Filipino activists held a rally in front of Los Angeles's Philippine Consulate to protest the nation's president's plans to allow former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in the nation's Heroes' Cemetery. There were roughly 20 people at the rally, organizer Nikole Cababa told KPCC.

"It's important for us to oppose any sort of hero's burial for Ferdinand Marcos because essentially he is a traitor to the Filipino people. He is known as one of the most corrupt and plunderous presidents, not only in Philippine history, but in world history," Cababa said.

Cababa is the deputy secretary general of Filipino political action group Bayan USA. She cited illegal arrests, people being "disappeared" and other suffering under martial law from the 1960s through 1980s under Marcos.

"To this day, there are thousands of martial law victims. Those that suffered torture, who have suffered illegal arrest, whose families suffered from those disappearances, that are still seeking reparations and justice from the Philippine government and have yet to see that justice served," Cababa said.

Two people who said they suffered under Marcos spoke at the rally.

"These were two victims who spoke openly about their torture and years of arrest under martial law," Cababa said.

It's important for people to understand Filipino history to create change for the future and to avoid repeating that history, Cababa said.

"To not allow for brute force, state violence and the militarization of our communities. And so these are lessons that need to be learned, these are moments in history that cannot be forgotten," Cababa said.

The rally was part of Bayan U.S.A.'s National Days of Action, with other rallies being held in San Francisco, New York and Seattle, Cababa said.