EDITORIAL - Days of mourning

Tributes poured in yesterday alongside expressions of grief as the body of Jesse Robredo was brought to the surface yesterday morning, three days after the light plane he had taken crashed into waters off Masbate. Deep-sea divers found the wreckage of the plane and extricated his body, but could not yet retrieve the remains of the two pilots who were trapped in the cockpit.

Last night, President Aquino declared National Days of Mourning for Robredo, who by most accounts carried out his work as secretary of the interior and local government with the same honesty and dedication as he did when he was mayor of Naga City. Robredo’s performance as city mayor earned him a Ramon Magsaysay award for excellence in local governance in 2000.

Long before the fight against corruption became a battle cry of the second Aquino administration, Robredo was promoting transparency and public accountability in Naga City. He published crucial information on projects and procurements of the city government on its website, opening everything to public scrutiny.

When Robredo was tapped to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government, he hoped to promote the same degree of public accountability in local government units and the public safety agencies of his department: the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Apart from requiring transparency in DILG offices, Robredo developed a system of rewards for local government units that met certain criteria on good governance.

“Senseless” and “untimely” may seem superfluous in describing most deaths, but the words are apt in the case of Robredo’s demise. He has left large shoes to fill in the DILG. Robredo’s successor will be expected to continue the reforms he has instituted, setting an example for others in government. It will be a good way to preserve his memory, and the best tribute to an exemplary public servant.