Palace, PNP, NBI pay tribute to Wycoco

President Arroyo mourned the death of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco yesterday, describing him as a "shining example of an officer and a gentleman."

"His family should be proud of him for he died with his boots on," Mrs. Arroyo said, adding that his memory "will live in the firmament of duty and service, for which we are grateful."

Mrs. Arroyo made the statement as she conveyed her administration’s condolences to the Wycoco family before the memorial services for the former NBI chief.

"He was a brave and brilliant police officer who burned the midnight oil to achieve his mission, however difficult the challenges," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo visited Wycoco’s wake at Camp Crame after her arrival from Palawan at around 6 p.m. where she embraced his widow and offered condolences to the rest of the family.

Wycoco was a top Philippine National Police official before he was appointed to the NBI.

He died Monday evening at the Manila Doctors Hospital after three weeks in a coma due to a severe stroke. He was 59.

Wycoco collapsed while in a meeting at the NBI headquarters on Nov. 23 and was rushed to the nearby hospital on UN Avenue.

Doctors said he suffered hemorrhagic stroke caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm. They said Wycoco’s condition was "grave" and warned the family that no surgery could save him.

At the NBI yesterday, employees pushed through with their Christmas party at the agency’s gymnasium but they did away with the frills in tribute to Wycoco as nobody was in the mood to celebrate.

"We would only have a simple Christmas party in deference to the death of the director. All of us are still grieving the passing of the director so we have toned down our celebration, our activities would be very simple para lang maidaos ang Pasko (just to celebrate Christmas). Even Director Wycoco would have wanted the employees to be happy," said Nestor Mantaring, who is temporarily in charge of the NBI.

Mantaring said they canceled the appearance of comedienne-singer Ai-Ai de las Alas, comedian-singer Allan K and a band.

Individual NBI divisions will be pushing through with simple celebrations. One official said: "It will only be a simple gathering among employees or staff and friends. We will just offer simple prayers for him."

Wycoco’s remains will be taken to the NBI gymnasium this afternoon to give officials and employees an opportunity to pay their last respects.

The body will remain at the NBI until Saturday morning. Wycoco’s final resting place will be the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the national heroes’ cemetery in Taguig City.

Yesterday, the PNP held a memorial service for Wycoco, who was a three-star deputy director general in the force before he left for the NBI.

"General Wycoco will always be remembered as a soldier, policeman and servant leader, who served his country and people well with honor and dignity," Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil added.

Wycoco served for over 30 years in the force before being appointed to the NBI by President Arroyo shortly after President Joseph Estrada’s ouster by a military-backed popular uprising in 2001. — With Evelyn Macairan, Cecille Suerte Felipe