MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The bitter political rivalry between the Marcoses and the Aquinos abruptly came to an end today, when Philippine President Noynoy Aquino granted absolute pardon to the late Ferdinand E. Marcos and his family, including Imelda Romualdez Marcos and their children, Senator Bongbong Marcos, Governor Imee Marcos and Irene Marcos.

All it took was a simple “I’m sorry” from  Senator Marcos.

On Tuesday, Aquino said the family of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos should say sorry to the Filipino people for the atrocities committed during martial rule. Speaking at the presidential forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Aquino said that Filipinos would be open to forgiving the Marcos family for what former president Marcos did to the country during his tenure. “We are a forgiving people as a general rule.”

So on Wednesday morning, Bongbong Marcos said that on behalf of his entire family, he apologizes.

Being a man of his word, Aquino then issued an Executive Order granting absolute pardon to the Marcos family.

The pardon paves the way for the burial of the late Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ cemetery), something that the Marcos family had been seeking for a long time. Marcos’ preserved body currently lies in state in a refrigerated crypt in his hometown of Ilocos Norte.

An absolute pardon also frees the Marcoses of any liability in the numerous cases filed against Ferdinand, Sr. and his estate.  And, Imelda gets to keep her 3,000 pairs of shoes, or whatever is left of them.

Pardoning presidents for crimes committed while in office is not unprecedented in the Philippines.  Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was pardoned by his successor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who herself, is now is under hospital arrest . Estrada was convicted of plunder while Arroyo faces similar charges.

Will Aquino pardon Arroyo next?