Philippine dictator Marcos to be buried at heroes' cemetery: Police

Manila: Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos will be buried on Friday at the heroes` cemetery in Manila, the national police chief said after the Supreme Court cleared the way for his internment 27 years after his death in Hawaii.

Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said he had only learned about the burial late on Thursday.

Police said Marcos` body was flown by helicopter from his hometown in the northern Philippines for burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani cemetery south of Manila at noon.

Human rights groups opposed his burial at the heroes` cemetery but the Philippines Supreme Court ruled against their protests last week.

Marcos ruled the Philippines for 20 years, during which time he, his family and cronies amassed an estimated $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth, a commission found. Thousands of suspected communist rebels and political foes were killed.

Marcos was chased from office in a people`s power revolt in 1989 and died in exile in Hawaii. His family returned to the Philippines in the 1990s and became powerful politicians representing his home province of Ilocos Norte.