Disrespectful prenuptial photo shoot at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

The Libingan ng mga Bayani where fallen soldiers and past presidents are interred. (Photo courtesy to http://manila-paper.net and source from: http://www.wikipedia.com).

A pre-nup pictorial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani? Odd but true. A couple has chosen the Libingan ng mga Bayani as the site of their pre-wedding pictures which immediately drew fire and condemnation from the Philippine online community.  What was supposed to be a romantic prenuptial photoshoot at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has sparked outrage on the Internet, with netizens decrying the irreverent poses of the couple involved – over grave markers for unknown soldiers killed in World War II – as “disrespectful” and in “bad taste.”

Local wedding photographers East Digital Studio posted pictures of Filipino couple known only as “Ruskin and Priscilla Magat” to announce the oncoming wedding of the two, but the people involved apparently did not expect that the photo shoot would unleash a storm of reactions from various quarters.

The prenup photoshoot for “Ruskin and Priscilla” at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was posted on the Internet and gained criticism from photography enthusiasts and the online community even the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In its pre-nup photo for Ruskin and Priscilla, East Digital featured the couple in the back drop of white crosses at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a gravesite inside the compound of the Libingan ng mga Bayani. In one photo, a man strikes a “wacky” pose as he hugs a cross serving as a grave marker. In another, his bride-to-be is seated on the beam of another cross, liquor bottles set before her, as she holds up a wine glass in toast.  In one of the photographs, the duo cross-dressed with Priscilla wearing the traditional men’s formal Barong Tagalog and the groom garbed in a wedding gown.

“Tasteless, disrespectful…Not funny,” read some of the reactions posted on the Internet in reference to the June 30 photo shoot.

Some relatives of the soldiers buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani expressed how offended they were by the act. The couple said that no offense was meant by the photos, and that they have chosen the venue to invoke the concept of “’til death do us part.” East Digital Studio, the photography studio behind this controversial photo shoot, expressed their remorse over the issue.

On Facebook, a page was created with the title: “100,000 likes to condemn desecration of graves of Filipino soldiers”.

The photos were brought to the attention of the military officials who had no idea on how the studio was able to conduct the photo shoot in the area without anybody calling their attention.

Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez, armed forces spokesman, said the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the entire Libingan ng mga Bayani is a public place and taking photos is allowed. However, he pointed out the couple and the photographer should have exercised propriety during the shoot.

In reports, Rodriguez said that the organisers of the photo shoot should have considered the sensibilities of other people as the picture was posted in a medium that can be seen by everyone.

He said that gravesites should not be regarded with jest as they are intended to honour whoever lies in it. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier served as a memorial for American soldiers who died during World War II and like most burial sites is considered a hallowed ground.

The Libingan ng mga Bayani is a national cemetery within Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. It was established as a memorial for Filipino soldiers, including generals, heroes and martyrs. Among those interred there are former Philippine presidents Carlos Garcia and Diosdado Macapagal.

The instant famous couple: Ruskin and Priscilla

The couple had switched garbs — Ruskin was wearing Priscilla's long black dress, she was in Ruskin's traditional Barong Tagalog.

The groom-to-be is hugging tight a cross, a wide grin across his face, as if posing for a "wacky" shot.

Priscilla — toasting with a glass of wine on her right — is sitting atop one of the crosses as three bottles of expensive spirits are on a small table in front of her.

The groom-to-be in drag attempting a ballet split over a cross.The two were frolicking in the cemetery grounds seemingly oblivious to the field of crosses that lay behind them.

A tomb of unknown soldier: "A Great Soldier of God and of the country."

The apology from the couple via text message: “Our concept for our pre-nup pictorial was the phrase “’til death do us part”. The said pictorial was never intended in any way to offend or disrespect the buried soldiers and their families. If we have offended anyone from those images, I would like to express my deepest apology. In behalf of my wife, we are really sorry.”

The groom lying on the ground with his cigarette and covered with a big white cross of a tomb of unknown soldier.