‘Ka Turing’ laid to rest at Libingan

Former vice president Arturo Tolentino was laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City at high noon yesterday, following state funeral rites honoring him as one of the country’s best parliamentarians.

In an ironic twist, Tolentino’s final resting place lies right beside that of former Vice President Salvador Laurel, who passed away last Jan. 27. Tolentino and Laurel were former allies at the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, but ran against each other for vice president in the 1986 snap elections.

Tolentino, who died of heart failure last Aug. 3 at the age of 94, had the shortest term as vice president after he and the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos were proclaimed by the Batasang Pambansa as winners in the snap elections.

A week after Tolentino took his oath of office, Filipinos staged the EDSA revolution that ousted Marcos and swept Corazon Aquino and Laurel into power.

A final Mass was held at the Sanctuario de San Jose in Greenhills, San Juan before Tolentino’s remains were brought to the cemetery at Fort Bonifacio.

Tolentino’s casket, draped with the Philippine flag, was placed on a horse-drawn carriage for the final procession. His wife, Constancia, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert led Tolentino’s immediate family, relatives, friends and government officials who paid their last respects to the late statesman.

Soldiers then fired off three volleys, representing the 21-gun salute, just before Tolentino’s casket was lowered into the ground.

While President Arroyo was not present during Tolentino’s funeral, she led the country’s leaders in paying tribute to the late statesman during the wake.

Fondly calling the late senator "Ka Turing," Mrs. Arroyo described Tolentino as a "statesman, scholar, writer and diplomat."

Mrs. Arroyo said Tolentino was an acknowledged constitutionalist and legal luminary.

She issued a statement Thursday expressing the nation’s "sense of deep loss" on the demise of Tolentino.

"Tolentino, also a former congressman, member of the Batasang Pambansa, foreign affairs secretary, and Senate president, was the epitome of a great public servant, having been in government service for most of his adult life," the President said.

In a rare show of unity, administration and opposition senators paid their last respects to Tolentino.

"The late senator Tolentino was one of the country’s best lawyers and was a shining star in the Senate," Senate President Franklin Drilon said. "He was a scholar, writer, diplomat, and distinguished author of law books."

The Senate approved a resolution filed by Sen. Ralph Recto expressing the profound and sincere sympathies of the legislative chamber for their former colleague.

Recto said that as a lawyer, Tolentino practiced the precept that "those who have less in life should have more in law."

Recto said that as a teacher, Tolentino molded generations of lawyers in the highest legal and ethical standards. He said the late statesman wrote books which became landmarks in the legal profession.

Born of humble parentage in Manila, Tolentino rose to become one of the major figures in Congress before Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

He was later appointed as foreign secretary during the Marcos regime and eventually ran as the dictator’s vice president in the 1986 snap elections.

In July 1986, Tolentino tried to usurp power when he declared himself "acting president," claiming he had received a letter from Marcos authorizing him "to be the legitimate head of the country until such time that I return to the Philippines."

With about 3,000 loyalists and 1,000 soldiers, Tolentino took over the plush Manila Hotel and declared it his seat of government. But he abandoned it after two days when then President Corazon Aquino threatened to send troops to storm the building.

Tolentino was not charged and soldiers involved in what was described as the first of seven coup attempts against Aquino were not punished.

Tolentino also served as congressman from 1949 to 1957, before being elected to the Senate until 1972. He was the Senate president for three years until 1966.

Tolentino was never forgotten as a prominent statesman after he was re-elected in the post-EDSA Senate in 1992 and served the term until 1995. — Edu Punay