Noynoy: Don't cause unnecessary grief

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Corazon Aquino’s “magic” remains and she still amuses her family despite her condition, her only son Sen. Benigno Aquino III said yesterday, as he appealed to those spreading false information not to give the nation “unnecessary grief.”

“Our consolation is that the Filipinos are with us and I pity those who became emotionally distraught because of the false news. Another consolation is she is still mentally alert and very clear when we try to talk to her or when she wants to convey something to us, ” Aquino said.

In a telephone interview, the senator told The STAR that he and his sisters were helping one another through the emotional stresses that their mother’s condition was bringing, not only to their family but also to those close to them.

“We have been through a lot as a family. Let us just continue to pray,” he said.

Filipinos from all walks of life continue to come together to pray for Mrs. Aquino. They also express their support for her through various media.

Television network ABS-CBN even decided to postpone its third round of presidential debates on July 28 “in deference to the rest of the nation, which continues to pray for former President Corazon Aquino.”

“This has been a trying period for Filipinos, as we share in the suffering of the leader who symbolizes the very reason why democracy and press freedom continue to thrive in this country,” ABS-CBN said in a letter to The STAR, one of its partners in the forum.

Aquino said they were thankful for all the prayers and expressions of support and that those who were sending text messages with false information must learn to respect not just their family but every Filipino sympathizing with them.

“Isn’t it they did that to (the late) Pope John Paul II? They should think of the effect of what they do to the people, whoever is starting all this. They are adding more burden on the people who already feel bad,” the senator lamented, referring to text messages that circulated before that the pope had died when he was on his sickbed.

Aquino said it was not the first time that text messages saying his mother had passed away circulated.

But the second time was given credence because it was announced by former Supreme Court justice Adolfo Azcuna, who served under the Aquino administration, during a Mass in Manila City Hall last Friday.

Aquino said they have to limit visitors because it might be more tiring for their mother.

He said his mother’s siblings, closest friends and people who worked with her were with the family the other day and they prayed together.

Aquino disclosed he and his sisters take turns looking after their mother but their youngest, actress and television host Kris, has decided to be with their mother 24 hours a day.

“Kris has been the one sleeping there (at the hospital) the past few days. Sometimes my other sister accompanies her. Normally we get to be together after dinner,” the senator said.

“We are just helping one another cope because we never experienced this before. My mother had never been this sick. The most she had was asthma and the worst attack was in the 1980s. So you can imagine our shock (when we learned about her stage 4 colon cancer),” he said.

“We know that (cancer) is debilitating and she will be bedridden. So we told ourselves we should make her comfortable and spare her pain,” he said.

“She has been our mother and father for a long time. But we all have our own way of accepting things,” he added.

Their father, former senator and national hero Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was assassinated in 1983 upon his return from exile in the United States. It was Mrs. Aquino who continued his fight for democracy for the Philippines that had been under the dictatorial rule of former President Ferdinand Marcos for more than 20 years.

Aquino appealed for understanding during the times he could not entertain inquiries but said he would attend the Senate session tomorrow.

He, however, would not attend the State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo.

‘Insensitive, inhuman’

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Arroyo was “disappointed” over the false text message that circulated on Friday that the former leader had passed away.

“That (false text message) is really insensitive, whoever is behind that false report,” Remonde told the government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Sen. Richard Gordon said the Aquino family “deserves some privacy” during these difficult times and text messages bearing false news were in “bad taste, insensitive and definitely inhuman.”

He said he also did not like the media doing a “death watch,” saying it was too much and was not appreciated by many like him.

Remonde added that President Arroyo remains in “close contact” with some members of the Aquino and Cojuangco families.

He also disclosed that the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the Malacañang Chapel and nuns and other concerned individuals have been continuously praying in the chapel for Mrs. Aquino and her family.

Earlier, Mrs. Arroyo sponsored a special healing Mass for Mrs. Aquino at the Palace attended by members of her Cabinet and some representatives of the Aquino and Cojuangco families.

At least two members of the Aquino clan are part of Mrs. Arroyo’s official family: Lupita Aquino-Kashiwara, a consultant; and former Sen. Teresita Aquino-Oreta, head of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, meantime, is foregoing all his foreign trips at the moment to attend all healing Masses being offered for Mrs. Aquino.

Yellow ribbons

Yellow ribbons have sprouted on houses, gates, lampposts, and trees in a village in Quezon City where former President Aquino’s house is located.

Even on major thoroughfares and roads near the Aquinos’ residence, ribbons with the former president’s signature color are now seen.

The stretch of Times Street has remained quiet as Mrs. Aquino is confined at the Makati Medical Center, but her neighbors have stepped up to show their support as the democracy icon fights cancer.

The strips of yellow have been conspicuously tied not just on gates and posts but in a number of other structures on Times Street, The STAR observed while doing the rounds in the area yesterday afternoon.

Even the other roads in Barangay West Triangle, where Times Street is located, have been adorned with yellow ribbons.

On Friday afternoon, staffers of Quezon City Councilor Joseph Juico were busy tying yellow ribbons on lampposts and other fixtures along nearby West Avenue, traversing Barangays Bungad and Paltok. 

Meantime, the seniors’ basketball team of the De La Salle University (DLSU) sang “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” and clapped their hands during the end of the healing Mass for Mrs. Aquino held last night at the university located in Taft Avenue, Manila.

The popular song was the theme for the return of Ninoy Aquino from exile in 1983.

The Mass was the third one sponsored by DLSU for the former president.

Former President Joseph Estrada, on the other hand, is inviting members of batch ’55 of the Ateneo de Manila University High School for a healing Mass for Mrs. Aquino tomorrow at the Sto. Niño church in Tondo. - With Reinir Padua, Sandy Araneta, Paolo Romero and Jose Rodel Clapano