Former president Aquino laid to rest
Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was laid to rest on Saturday as loved ones and supporters gathered to pay their final respects.
Aquino, 61, passed away Thursday. He was buried at the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City beside his parents, democracy icons former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino and former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Simultaneous gun salutes were fired as the military accorded state funeral honors to the country’s 15th president. A helicopter was also sighted dropping yellow flowers around the grounds of the park.
Aside from family, friends, and colleagues, members of the public were also allowed to visit Aquino’s tomb in the afternoon.
Eulogies for Noynoy: Bring back decency; continued legacy
Earlier in the day, the loved ones of the former chief executive trooped to the Church of the Gesù inside the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City for a funeral mass at 10 a.m., which was celebrated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.
During his homily, Villegas said Aquino’s death should serve as a reminder for Filipinos to elect servant leaders — to “bring back decency” in the government.
For her eulogy, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz highlighted how her brother was able to “continue” the unfinished business of their parents — both hailed globally as democracy icons.
The Aquino sisters also thanked the public for supporting their brother, who served as the nation’s leader from 2010 to 2016.
Aquino died Thursday of renal disease secondary to diabetes. His remains were cremated on the same day, and a one-day public viewing of his urn was held on Friday.
Aquino — who served in the House of Representatives and Senate before eventually gunning for the presidency — had kept a low profile since stepping down from his post. He remained a bachelor and had lived in his parents’ home in Quezon City.
