Mrs. Arroyo and some members of her Cabinet visited the Gonzales family residence along San Joaquin street off Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City, where the remains of her former Senate colleague lie.
Senators also expressed yesterday their condolences over the death of the three-time Senate president.
"The death of Nep was a great loss to the nation who will miss his great mind, intense patriotism and dedication to the democratic cause," Sen. Edgardo Angara said.
Angara, who was a colleague of Gonzales in two Senate terms, said that Gonzales served as a role model for several neophyte lawmakers in the Eighth Congress "who looked up to him for guidance and leadership."
"Nep blessed the Senate with his immense legal and parliamentary skills and the depth of his grasp on crucial issues of national policy. He always had an open mind, deep and searching, but minus any form of intellectual arrogance," Angara added.
Among those who accompanied the President to the wake of Gonzales were Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez and Presidential Management Staff head Victoria Garchitorena.
Gonzales, who underwent a quadruple heart bypass operation eight years ago, is survived by his wife Candida, and children Myrna Cuejilo, Sorohayda Mendoza, Rhodora Beleno, and House Majority Leader Rep. Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong City.
The congressman said his father was admitted to the Makati Medical Center two days ago after he suffered a heart attack.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Manuel Villar and Senators Robert Barbers and Robert Jaworski also lamented the death of Gonzales.
"He was an extraordinary Filipino who lived a full life in the service of the nation. His demise is a great loss to the Filipino people," Villar said.
Barbers agreed that the Philippines has lost a great leader with the death of Gonzales.
"Even though I did not have the honor of serving the Senate together with Senator Gonzales, I have always admired his numerous legislative contributions, many of which have become landmark measures," he said.
He added that Gonzales’ accomplishments as a constitutionalist, lawmaker, Cabinet member and as a statesman can only be considered outstanding.
"Surely, these qualities of his are worthy of emulation by generations of Filipinos to come," Barbers said.
Jaworski cited Gonzales as "one of the great leaders of our time."
"It was a life worth every minute spent. Senator Gonzales’ death leaves us with one less guiding wisdom as we collectively pursue our desire to make this nation great again," he said.
Jaworski said that Gonzales now joins the ranks of late, great Filipino lawmakers like Lorenzo Tañada, Ninoy Aquino and Jose Diokno, among other political figures.
At the time of his death, Gonzales was president of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., whose chairman, Emilio Yap, was also present at the wake.