Slain Ilocos electric cooperative president laid to rest

DINGRAS, ILOCOS NORTE, Philippines – The slain president of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) was laid to rest yesterday morning, with hundreds of grieving supporters marching toward the Roman Catholic cemetery here.

The burial rites for INEC president Lorenzo Rey Ruiz was attended by officials of the province led by provincial board members Manuel Marcos and Robert Castro.

The Ruiz family thanked all those who supported them in the “darkest chapter” of their life.

“The overwhelming support shown to us by the hundreds of people whose lives were touched by my father somewhat lessens the pain of losing him in this manner,” said daughter Ma. Consuelo “Cheeko” Ruiz.

Cheeko, a deskman at The STAR, said the family was overwhelmed by the support of their townmates. Every night during the wake, about 300 people from all walks of life would visit the Ruiz’s house to pay their last respects to the slain INEC president and condole with the family.

Totoy Parado, a neighbor, said Ruiz’s funeral procession was the longest he has ever witnessed in their town.

“Not just the people of Dingras, but of all other towns joined in putting Ruiz to rest,” Parado said.

Meanwhile, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has deferred the election of the representative of Dingras to the INEC board following the murder of Ruiz.

The announcement was made by Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon in his eulogy for Ruiz during the last day of the wake on Friday.

The poll scheduled next month was postponed “so the killing of Ruiz will not benefit those who are behind it,” according to Keon.

“I already talked to Editha Bueno about the suspension of the election,” Keon said.

Bueno is the administrator of NEA, which supervises electric cooperatives in the country.

Keon vowed that Ruiz’s killing would not be in vain.

“There will be no let-up (in our efforts) until justice is meted out on whoever is the mastermind of this killing,” Keon said in his eulogy.

Ilocos Norte provincial board members Angelo Marcos Barba and Manuel Marcos, who were also present during the last night of wake, made the same vow.

The Marcos cousins were close friends of Ruiz, a known kingmaker in the province.

Another provincial member, Robert Castro, said Ruiz “was a very helpful person” and is a great loss not only to Dingras but to the whole province.

Ruiz, who was up for re-election for his last term, was gunned down last Sept. 4 as he was alighting from his van at the INEC sub-office in Barangay Lang-ayan, Currimao, Ilocos Norte.

Reportedly eyeing his seat is Elsie Romero, mother of Dingras town mayor Marynette Gamboa.

A loving husband and father

More than a public servant, Ruiz was first and foremost a loving husband to his wife Mila and a thoughtful and sweet father to his four children.

In the last four years, he was a doting grandfather to his two grandchildren, four-year-old Jamboy and one-year-old Denise.

Cheeko, her siblings JC, Jeboy and Coy, are all very close to their father.

The Ruiz family is extremely close-knit and lives by the edict “family first.”

Cheeko looked up to him and whenever she had problems or doubts or simply had wonderful events or good news in her life, she sought him out, even if only by phone when he was in Ilocos Norte.

She always consulted her father about every matter and he, in turn, gave her wise counsel.

Although Cheeko, JC and Jeboy live in Manila, Ruiz made it a point to visit his children and spend time with them.

Ruiz lived with his wife and eldest son, daughter-in-law, grandchild and sister-in-law in Dingras.

Despite his busy schedule as INEC head, Ruiz always made time for his family, took them to watch a movie or eat out.

From Ilocos Norte, he would bring cooked food to JC and Cheeko, both single and who usually have no time to cook.

When he came to Manila, he would stay at the apartment of Cheeko and JC and have breakfast with them, to catch up on their lives.

In their Dingras home, he would personally attend to the needs of his ailing wife who recently got sick. They had been married for 32 years.

As a public servant, Ruiz was a role model and always remind his children that honesty and integrity are more important than wealth or power.

He was an upright and humble man who showed his children and townmates what servant leadership was all about.

In Dingras town, the poor never felt alienated from Ruiz and came to him whenever they had problems with their electricity. He was an easy man to approach as he has always a smile on his face.

They would go to his house or call him on the phone and Ruiz always accommodated them and attended to their electricity concerns as well as other matters. Thus for the five years he held office, the people trusted and supported him wholeheartedly as INEC president.

His family and his townmates would always remember him as a man who served others the best that he could, with honesty, sincerity and integrity. 

– With Patricia Esteves