Marcos children pay respects

MANILA, Philippines - The children of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos yesterday visited the wake of former President Corazon Aquino, the widow who led the popular revolution that ousted their father in 1986.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife Liza Araneta, and sister Imee Marcos went to the Manila Cathedral to pay their respects to the former president.

Liza Marcos is the niece of Sari Cacho, wife of Pedro Cojuangco, oldest brother of Mrs. Aquino.

In an attempt to show reconciliation between the two political families, the Marcoses were welcomed by Aquino’s eldest daughter Ballsy Aquino-Cruz and grandchildren Jonty Aquino-Cruz and Kiko Aquino-Dee.

Later, former senator Agapito “Butz” Aquino, brother of martyred former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and brother-in-law of the former president, welcomed the Marcos siblings.

Ballsy bussed Imee and Bongbong on the cheek while Butz Aquino shook the hands of the late dictator’s son and namesake.

The Aquinos and the Marcoses chatted for about 20 minutes before they left, minutes before former President Fidel Ramos arrived.

“Nandito kami para makiramay (We are here to offer our condolences),” Rep. Marcos later told reporters.

“We thank the Marcoses for their prayers even though what happened cannot be set aside,” Aquino-Dee said.

The youngest daughter, Kris Aquino-Yap, earlier hinted at a possible reconciliation with the Marcoses, noting the “sincerity” in the prayers they offered for her mother.

The Marcoses earlier issued a statement offering their prayers for the ailing former president.

Marcos, the son and namesake of the late strongman who was ousted in the historic EDSA people power revolution in 1986, has urged the nation to set aside politics and join prayers for Mrs. Aquino.

The former president died on Aug. 1 after a year of battling colon cancer.

The Marcoses and the Aquinos are known political rivals. The Aquinos have been blaming the late dictator for the assassination of Ninoy Aquino Jr. in 1983.

The world pays respects

Foreign dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps also paid their respects through messages for the country’s democracy icon.

Archbishop Edward J. Adams, Titular Archbishop Scala of the Apostolic Nuncio of the Philippines, said Pope Benedict XVI was deeply saddened over the death of President Aquino.

The Ambassadors of Finland, South Africa, Brazil, Switzerland, Turkey, Republic of Cuba, and the United Kingdom also gave their messages to the Aquino family.

Finnish Ambassador Heikki Hannikainen said he followed the events that led to a new era of hope and promise for the Filipino people.

“Cory Aquino set an example of courage and integrity that hopefully will inspire future generations of Filipino leaders,” he wrote.

Swiss Ambassador Peter Sutter said President Aquino “conquered the hearts of the Swiss people” when she visited Switzerland in June 1988.

“As champion of democracy, she will remain an inspiration to us all,” he said.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney led some foreign dignitaries that personally went to the wake.

Kenney said she went to the Manila Cathedral to represent “so many millions of Americans who loved President Aquino, who admired her,” Kenney said.

“I’m also here on my own behalf, someone who knew her as Tita Cory… all of us have lost a woman who stood for freedom, for unification, for bringing people together. But her family has also lost a mother and grandmother and a sister. And so my heart goes to them,” she said.

British Ambassador Peter Beckingham said Mrs. Aquino is widely admired in the United Kingdom.

“And indeed there were some personal links between her and some of our ministers. There are great and close personal connections. And the whole of Great Britain and their country is very sad by her death,” Beckingham said.

Japanese Ambassador Makota Katsura also went to the wake to offer condolences in behalf of the Japanese government.

Katsura recalled meeting the former president during the Ramos administration.

“And when I came in September 2007, this time as Ambassador, I had a chance to meet with her again. She had a very warm personality. We are very thankful for her years of promoting relations between (Japan and the Philippines),” he said.

Chilean Ambassador Ovid Harasich said he came to Manila Cathedral to pay homage to the “lady that was a very important person who recovered democracy for the Filipinos.”

Charge d’Affairs of the Royal Netherlands Embassy Anita Van de Haar Conjin said she was touched when she saw the outpouring of support to the former president.

“It’s a touching moment and I was here to offer my condolences to the family by our government. Our Majesty the Queen sent a message. It’s a loss for the whole world that former President Aquino has gone,” she said.

Conjin described Mrs. Aquino as a role model for the whole world.

Singaporean Ambassador A. Salverajah said his people are mourning the death of the great Filipino leader.

“She was a very strong lady. She led the Philippines at a very difficult time. She was an icon of democracy,” he said.

South African Ambassador Pieter Andries Vermeulen also joined the world community in mourning the passing of Mrs. Aquino.

Brazilian Ambassador Alcides G.R. Prates also offered his condolences on behalf of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Brazilian government.

Diplomats from Iran, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Sweden, Thailand, Iraq, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and China, and the representative of the International Organization for Migration signed the Book of Condolence at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA said visiting foreign dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps would attend the funeral services for President Aquino at the Manila Cathedral today.

 ‘Core of steel’

During the wake, former President Fidel Ramos described Mrs. Aquino as a “woman with a core of steel” in the face of the several coup attempts to unseat her.

“Talk about guts, Cory had it because of her intestinal, psychological and spiritual fortitude because she is a woman with a core of steel,” he said.

Ramos served as chief of the Armed Forces under Mrs. Aquino and later succeeded her to the presidency.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno also led the Supreme Court magistrates in paying their respect to the late Mrs. Aquino.

Philippine representative to the UN Hilario Davide also went to the Manila Cathedral to extend sympathy to the Aquino family.

Other personalities who dropped by the wake included boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, deputy national security adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson, socialite Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, Jesus is Lord movement leader Eddie Villanueva, and former justice secretary Hernando Perez.

Perez said he stood in line for two hours, joining the thousands of rain-soaked people to pay their last respects to the former leader.

“This is the least I can do to pay our last respects to the president who gave us our freedom,” Perez said. –With Pia Lee-Brago, Paolo Romero, Sandy Araneta, Evelyn Macairan