The children of former president Ferdinand Marcos

The children of former president Ferdinand Marcos visited Tuesday the wake of the woman who ousted their father 23 years ago in a bloodless popular revolt.

Congressman Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife Lisa, and Imee Marcos arrived at the Manila Cathedral at 2:29 p.m. to pay their respects to former president Corazon Aquino.

The Marcoses were escorted inside the church and were met by Aquino’s grandchildren and later by Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, the former president’s eldest child.

Pinky Aquino-Abellada said of the Marcoses’ visit: “I want to thank them for coming. I can sense the sincerity. Personally, I can feel it.”

Abellada also commented on the proposal that her mother’s birthday, January 25, be declared a national holiday.

"Our goal right now is to give mom a proper burial. Super simple yan, mejo mahihiya pa 'yun [that’s super simple, she will even be embarrassed] but I'm sure she's smiling up there," said Abellada.

The Marcoses stayed for about 20 minutes and was mobbed by the media after they left, taking them about 10 minutes to get to their service car.

They refused to give a statement when asked for one but in a separate text to INQUIRER.net, Congressman Marcos said, “Nakikiramay lang kami [We were condoling with the family].”

People outside the Manila Cathedral shouted at the Marcoses, saying “Bati na kayo, ha [So now you’ve buried the hatchet].”

Aquino who has been dubbed as the icon of democracy led the uprising in 1986 that dismantled the 20-year Marcos rule and sent the Marcoses into exile in Hawaii where the former strongman died.

She has accused Marcos of being responsible for the assassination of her husband, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., in Aug. 21, 1983 when he returned to the country, and of massive graft and corruption.

She ran against Marcos in a snap presidential election under the opposition banner after more than one million people signed a petition for her to run.

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos and the children have since returned to the country and have since resumed their political activities, with Marcos Jr. now congressman and Imee Marcos, a former congresswoman herself.