Gen. Ver buried with honors

Gen. Ver buried with honors

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.