Sanchez laid to rest

CEBU, Philippines - The late Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. was laid to rest at around 4:40 p.m. yesterday at the Mactan Island Memorial Garden in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City, under skies that seemed to weep all day.

The family of Sanchez, his widow Leonarda, daughters Grecilda Zaballero and Gerlaida Spiller, were present, as was his only son, Greco, who just arrived from a drug rehabilitation center in Manila.

Greco, who was handcuffed and escorted by four policemen, was allowed to touch and kiss his father when his casket was opened.

Sanchez’s bronze-plated casket was closed from public viewing at the Crystal Palace in Maracas, Lahug, Cebu City at 11:20 a.m. before being loaded to a flat-bed truck decorated with flowers and escorted by four Navy cadets.

Sanchez was the lieutenant commander of the 511st Battalion Naval Reserve Command.

With a convoy of more than a hundred vehicles, private cars and buses the funeral procession passed through Gorordo Ave. and turned right at Escario St. for a 10-minute stop in front of the Provincial Capitol building.

A rosary prayer was offered by Capitol employees led by Sanchez’s staff Paulo Torralba. Present during the short stop were acting Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, Provincial Administrator Eduardo Habin, Provincial Secretary Aniceta Pasaylo, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s executive secretary Elizabeth Francia and other Capitol employees.

Sanchez’s daughters joined the group despite the rain.

The funeral procession proceeded to Osmeña Boulevard, turned left at M. Yap St., turned right at Juana Osmeña St. then turned left to Redemptorist Church where the requiem Mass was held and officiated by Msgr. Esteban Binghay, a relative of Sanchez.

“By his death, God made him something more than just a husband, more than just a father, more than just a professional or a businessman, more than just a politician. God in his wonderful love has made Greg a saint in heaven,” Binghay said in his homily.

First district Rep. Eduardo Gullas and former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. and some local officials attended the Mass.

In her eulogy after the mass, a teary-eyed Spiller recounted how her father was in pain during the three months he was at the hospital.

At the intensive care unit of Perpetual Soccour Hospital, Spiller said she was able to talk with her father and said “Dad we will fight for you, we will get back those rights that were taken away from you” to which Sanchez smiled.

Sanchez’s casket arrived at the Mactan Island Memorial Garden to full military honors.

Some friends of Sanchez like his running mate Hilario Davide III, Provincial Board Member Julian Daan, lawyer Democrito Barcenas and others waited for the funeral procession at the Mactan Island Memorial Garden.

Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, whose family owns the memorial garden, said he and his sister, Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung personally supervised the tomb preparation.

The burial was first set at the Queen City Memorial Garden in Cebu City but Sanchez’s nephew, Eliodoro “Yody” Sanchez said the daughters of the vice governor wanted to have a tomb and did not want him buried under the ground.

Zaballero, in her eulogy at the cemetery, shared how his father defined public service.

“He believed in public service need not be in front of the camera and can possibly extend beyond politics,” she said.

Zaballero wanted to make sure people in the barangays had means of livelihood and wanted to teach them how to fish to have sustainable long term livelihood.

“He had fought against corruption and fought against incurably corrupt officials. He fought to uphold the dignity and integrity of the legislative department at the Capitol which we are all looking forward to the day that it will be restored,” Zaballero said.

Greco also thanked his father although he failed his wish to have him someday speak in public.

Sanchez succumbed to lung cancer last April 29 at the Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City at the age of 68.

Since February this year, Sanchez was no longer able to perform his function as presiding officer of the Provincial Board of Cebu after losing his voice. —/BRP (FREEMAN)