Archival, aide buried

CEBU, Philippines - Ten days after they were killed, lawyer Noel Archival and aide Edu Miñoza were buried separately yesterday.

Archival, Miñoza and Alejandro Jaime died after their Ford Escape was sprayed with M-16 bullets by assailants riding two separate Hi-Lux vehicles in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete town last Feb. 18.

Their other companion, Paulo Cortes, was hit in the arm but survived.  They had just come from a hearing for a robbery case Archival was handling in Dumaguete City and were on their way to Cebu City when they were ambushed.

Minoza was buried at the Talamban Public Cemetery at 1 p.m. yesterday, while Archival was laid to rest at 2:20 p.m. at the Angelicum Garden of Angel Memorial Park in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.

Archival, who would have turned 52 on Nov. 20, left his wife Eillen and children Noli, 31; Nyza,12;Nyka, 11; Nyko, 10 ;Noel Jr., 4; and Nylle 3.

The lawyer’s brothers, Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival and Talamban Barangay Councilman Nelson Archival, are the ones left to console his family.

Before Archival’s burial, a requiem mass was held at the San Isidro Parish Church officiated by Monsignor Carlito Puno, Fr.Paul Medina, and two other priests.

The around 3,000 family members, relatives and friends who attended the mass wore white shirts with the words “Justice for Atty. Noel Archival” and “Goodbye Noel, We love you’ printed on them.

The mass was also attended by lawyers and judges, including judges Meinrado Paredes and Ester Veloso, Cebu City councilors Margarita Osmeña and Gerardo Carillo, and lawyers Gloria Dalawampu, Victor Maambong, Pedro Lesley Salva, Rameses Villagonzalo, and Ruphil Bañoc.

 In his homily, Fr. Paul Medina described Archival as a good, jolly, witty and helpful person and a great loss to the law profession.

“Atty. Archival is a jolly person, very active in court.  Makita nato nga wa nausik iyang kinabuhi kay tanan iyang gi-alagad sa katawhan (We can see that his life was not wasted because he gave all for the people).We will always remember him as someone who have always helped other people’s life tungod sa iyang (because of his) profession,” Fr.Luna said.

After the mass, Eillen thanked all those who grieved with their family.

She said she never believed right away when told that her husband was ambushed because they were still sending text messages to each other minutes before he was peppered with bullets.

She said Archival’s final text message to her was “k” for “okay.”  She said she could not believe a single letter would be her husband’s last message to her.

“If my husband used to defend people in courts sa iyang pagka abogado, at least now he will be able to defend us each and every day of our lives because he is now our guardian angel,” she said.

Eldest daughter Nyza vowed to take care of her younger brothers and sisters now that their father is no longer with them.

 Talamban’s barangay council members also read a resolution expressing their deep sympathy to the lawyer’s family.

 An emotional Paredes, whose last day of office was yesterday, cried during the eulogy, recalling how Archival stayed with them in their struggle against the Marcos dictatorship.

 Nestor, the lawyer’s eldest brother, said that he always remember his brother as unselfish person and one who always stood up for them.

Archival graduated from Talamban Elementary School and from Abellana National High School.

While studying at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Archival joined anti-government mass rallies and affiliated himself with the Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity.

Nestor said he would always remember the brother who used to go to school wearing maong (denim) pants and slippers, and then had with him a folded notebook when attending law school at the Southwestern University.

Nestor said he was left speechless after receiving a call from Nelson that their brother Archival was ambushed and killed last Feb. 18.

 Archival, a lawyer for 21 years, had handled numerous kind of cases, including high-profile and controversial ones. — /RHM  (FREEMAN)