Hobbits, relatives, friends bid Barbers gooodbye

Among the hundreds who paid their final respects to former senator Robert Barbers as his remains were laid to rest yesterday were a number of "hobbits" whose lives had been deeply touched by the policeman-turned-politician.

Around eight of Barbers’ hobbit friends — more accurately, dwarves — mingled with some five hundred supporters, friends and relatives of Barbers at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City as they waited for a final view of the man they will miss outside the mausoleum of the Barbers family at high noon.

Ten years ago, Barbers formed a group of would-be devotees to the Sto. Niño, just like him. The idea came after he used to frequent a folk music bar in Malate, Manila known as the Hobbit House in which the waiters and waitresses were "little people."

They may be diminutive but their hearts made them stand out in the crowd that continued to grow as the tribute for the former Manila police colonel began.

Barbers, 61, died of a heart attack at the Medical City Hospital in Pasig City on Christmas Day.

In a white shirt emblazoned with "Viva Sto Niño" at the back, Roger Morejon — spokesman for the "hobbits" — said they would surely miss the former senator who was very helpful to them, especially when they had problems.

"During his time as a Manila policeman, he and his men used to drop by the Hobbit House in Malate. There we came to know more about the former senator who was well-loved especially by his kababayan (townmates) in Surigao. He encouraged us to form a group and since then have become devotees of the Sto. Niño," said Morejon, who works as a waiter at the Malate pub.

He recalled Barbers joining parades to celebrate the feast of the Sto. Niño in January every year.

"We will miss him at this time since he always took part in the yearly celebration which starts at the CCP complex and ends at Luneta," Morejon said.

Morejon’s recollections of Barbers were cut short when Barbers’ remains arrived in a wooden casket that was placed on a horse-drawn carriage.

White rose petals were thrown and confetti dropped from a helicopter before a short program honoring Barbers and his contributions to the country was held in front of the mausoleum.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, one of Barbers’ three sons, expressed his heartfelt thanks for those who condoled with his family.

"We would like to thank you all for the support and prayers especially during this time that we are grieving. We will just be continuing the good works our father has started," the congressman said.

Some 61 butterflies were released from a native cage — the number representing the former senator’s 61 years of life.

Speaker Jose de Venecia and his wife Gina, Sen. Alfredo Lim, Philippine National Police Director General Arturo Lomibao were among those who attended the burial rites which ended around 1 p.m.

De Venecia said Barbers was a "true statesman" who should be emulated by other political leaders.

De Venecia recalled Barbers twice gave way to vice presidential nominations of the administration. First to President Arroyo in 1998, when he slid down as standard bearer of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino to vice presidential candidate of the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats.

The second time was before the May 2004 elections when he gave way to Vice President Noli de Castro as Lakas vice presidential contender.

"On top of that, he (Barbers) was my principal ally in the Senate with Sen. Edgardo Angara in pushing for reforms in the 1987 Constitution that called for a unicameral parliamentary system despite the fact that it would mean the abolition of the Senate of which they were part," De Venecia said.

"That showed him to be a true statesman, looking after the long-term interests of the country over his own," he said.

De Venecia also pointed out that Barbers authored the toughest anti-drugs law in Asia that enabled the Arroyo administration to bag big-time drug traffickers and dismantle huge narcotics factories.

Barbers had a colorful political career. He started in public service as a councilor in Surigao City, then ran for Congress and lost.

He again ran in 1992 and won a hotly contested congressional seat in the second district of Surigao del Norte.

While serving as Surigao congressman for his second term in the 10th Congress, Barbers was appointed by then President Fidel Ramos to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in 1996 before running for the Senate two years later and won.

De Venecia earlier recalled that Barbers, one of the stalwarts of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, was once described as "the most popular and effective member" of the Cabinet during the Ramos administration.

He became a popular congressman and a senator and was twice considered as a running mate — in 1998 with De Venecia and again in 2004 on the administration slate of President Arroyo.

Barbers was also the architect of the anti-terror bill in the Senate, which reflected his experience as a police officer.

With a master’s degree in criminology and national security administration from the National Defense College, Barbers also served as chief of the Police Special Task Force of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and inspector of the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

While serving as a Manila police officer, he managed to complete his studies in political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines in 1981 and took up law studies in the same school until 1985.

Barbers, a native of Surigao City, is survived by his wife, Virginia, three sons and one daughter.

The eldest, Robert Lyndon, is currently among the directors of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Robert Dean now heads the PTA while Robert Ace has followed in the political footsteps of his father by representing the second congressional district of Surigao del Norte.

The youngest, Josephine, is with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). — With Paolo Romero