MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday paid his respects to the three Army officers killed in the two-week gun battle against the Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Zamboanga City.
Aquino, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, first went to the wake of 1Lt. John Christopher Rama in Norzagaray, Bulacan.
Rama was shot by a sniper while leading his men in clearing operations in barangay Sta. Barbara, one of the villages in Zamboanga City occupied by the rebels.
Aquino, accompanied by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad, also proceeded to the wake of 2Lt. Florencio Michael Meneses and 1Lt. Francis Damian, whose remains separately lie in state in Pulilan, Bulacan and in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, respectively.
Meneses and Damian were also killed by sniper fire during a military operation against the rebels.
Rama’s wife Erlinda said the President gave assurance that the government will provide housing and educational assistance to her and their daughter Elisa Irene and make sure that she obtains a college degree despite her father’s demise.
Erlinda also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the President for his visit and pledge.
She said she felt proud Aquino chose to honor the memory of her husband with his presence.
The President proceeded to the wake of Meneses and sat down with the family for 15 minutes.
Aquino handed a check worth P250,000 to Meneses’ mother Regina, and assured them of livelihood assistance.
Aquino also pledged educational assistance to the slain soldier’s girlfriend, a sophomore Business Administration student at the Baliwag University in Bulacan.
Regina said her son was paying for the tuition of his girlfriend. “They have many plans and one of them is for his girlfriend to finish college,†she said.
Aquino paused for a minute before the coffin of Meneses before he left.
“We are very proud of you, you made us proud,†Regina remarked in Filipino before her son’s coffin after the President left. – Dino Balabo, Cet Dematera