Gen. Ver buried with honors

Tue, 01 Dec 1998 | Source: REUTERS

SARRAT, Philippines (Reuters): Former Philippine chief of staff General Fabian Ver was buried here on Monday, pursued to his grave by controversy over his alleged role in the 1983 murder of opposition leader Benigno Aquino.

The closest military ally of dictator Ferdinand Marcos was buried with military honors in his home town, despite living in exile for the last 12 years of his life.

An honor guard fired a 19-gun salute in Sarrat, 400 km north of the capital Manila, and the armed forces flew the national flag at half-mast in a widely criticized move. Ver's body was flown back to the Philippines from Thailand, where he died last week.

The armed forces defended its decision to grant Ver military honors, saying it was a formality traditionally given to all soldiers.

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