Walk of closure: Marcos honors FM staff

MANILA, Philippines — Thirty-six years after their tumultuous separation, President Marcos and his late father’s trusted aides and staff met on Friday his first day in office at Malacañang for a reunion of sorts dubbed as “walk of closure.”

Radio Television Malacañang video showed some of the former security aides becoming emotional as they shook hands and walked with their late boss’ only son, who is now the country’s president.

At the event were former captain Mervyn Espadero, who served as a security escort officer; former lieutenant colonel Delmar Magno, who used to work for the Office of the Senior Aide-de-Camp and was the nurse of former first lady Imelda Marcos; former first lieutenant Menandro Espineli, who was a security officer of Marcos’ sister, Irene Marcos-Araneta; and former lieutenant colonel Fe Castro, who used to be a nurse of the former president.

Marcos and his family were forced into exile in Hawaii by a military-backed civilian-led EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986.

The Marcoses slowly made their way back to mainstream politics after their return to the country during the first Aquino administration.

The “walk of closure” was one of Marcos’ activities during his first day in office.

On the same day, he also met with key officials from foreign governments namely Vo Thi Anh Xuan, vice president of Vietnam; Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan Bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd. Yusof, second minister of foreign affairs of Brunei; Say Samal, minister of environment of Cambodia; Dr. Raikumar Ranjan Singh, minister of state for external affairs and member of parliament of India; Kweon Seong-Dong, Floor Leader of the People Power Party of South Korea; Phoxay Khaykhamphithoune, deputy foreign minister of Laos and Richard Graham, trade envoy of the United Kingdom.

On Thursday, Marcos met with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan; David Hurley, governor-general of Australia; Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa; Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai and US Second Gentleman Craig Emhoff.