MANILA - Instead of dumping their alliance with President Rodrigo Duterte, the Makabayan bloc has asked the chief executive to dump his alliance with the Marcoses after the surprise burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani last Friday.

"The hero's burial for Marcos would not have happened without the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has profusely proclaimed his admiration for the late dictator and justified the burial on narrow, legalistic grounds,” read a statement from the Makabayan bloc delivered by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio.

“We hold Pres. Duterte accountable for his role in granting honors to the worst plunderer and human rights violator in the nation's history. We demand that he take steps to correct this grave error and reverse this unconscionable attack on truth and justice, on the victims of martial rule, and the Filipino people. We challenge Pres. Duterte to end his alliance with the Marcos family; repudiate the Marcosian tactics of extrajudicial killings; desist from issuing threats of suspending the writ of habeas corpus, imposing martial law, and other fascist measures in the name of peace and order and his war against illegal drugs.”

Makabayan indicated its alliance is being tested by Duterte's alliance with the Marcoses.

"Pres. Duterte's pro-Marcos pronouncements and policy are negatively affecting our attitude to his administration. If he continues along this path, we will become more critical and militant in opposing the same, even as we continue to support his pro-people stand for peace talks and for an independent foreign policy."

Tinio said the bloc will be more critical of Duterte, while Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said they will rethink their alliance if they disagree with other aspects of Duterte's governance.

Makabayan added that it denounces the clandestine burial of the dictator at the heroes’ cemetery.

"The surprise Marcos interment, hidden from public view, is a treacherous and desperate attempt to rewrite history by giving honor to a tyrant and plunderer,” the bloc said.

“It is a vicious affront to the hundreds of thousands of victims of human rights violations and to the Filipino people that ousted the dictator."

The bloc is joining protests scheduled to condemn the burial and is inviting the public to join the anti-Marcos on November 25 at the Rizal Park.

Tinio also dismissed as rumor mongering claims that the November 25 rally will be a pro-Duterte rally. Tinio also pointed out the responsibility of the two Aquino administrations as well as other post-EDSA administrations to make sure the Marcoses are held accountable.

The leftist sector of the country has been critical of the late dictator for the atrocities and corruption during his two-decade rule.

President Duterte’s government is currently trying to reach a peace settlement with the leftist movement in the country in an effort to end Asia’s longest-running Maoist insurgency.