Aug 4, 2009, 7:40 GMT
Manila - Two children of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday visited the wake of former president and democracy icon Corazon Aquino, who led a 'people power' uprising that ousted their father in 1986.
Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Junior and Imee Marcos surprised the crowd at the Manila Cathedral when they arrived to pay their respects to Aquino, who died on Saturday from cardiorespiratory arrest after battling colon cancer for more than one year.
'We are just here to condole with the family,' the two siblings told reporters, declining to give further comment.
Two of Aquino's five children and a couple of her grandchildren greeted the Marcoses, who only stayed briefly.
The two families have been arch-enemies since Marcos proclaimed martial law in 1972 and jailed Aquino's husband, opposition senator Benigno 'Ninoy,' for several years.
Marcos was also accused of being the mastermind behind the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983 when he returned to Manila from a three-year exile in the United States.
Senator Aquino's death galvanized the opposition against Marcos and three years later his widow challenged the dictator in a snap election in February 1986.
Massive fraud during the polls forced two top security officials of Marcos to withdraw support from him, sparking the four-day 'people power' revolution that forced the dictator and his family to flee into self-imposed exile in the US.
Former president Aquino, fondly called 'Tita Cory' (Aunt Cory) by Filipinos, was declared winner of the snap election and became the Philippines' first woman president.
Before Cory Aquino's death, the Marcoses offered prayers for her recovery and the former president's children acknowledged the sincerity of their support.
Former first lady Imelda Marcos said she felt the pain of the loss when Cory Aquino died and offered her sympathies to her family.
She, however, has not announced plans to visit the wake.
'I hope that this will lead to the unity of the Marcoses and the Aquinos, as this will lead to a greater future of our country and the Filipino people,' she said. 'When these two families reconcile, there will be a miracle for the Philippines.'
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