Magsaysay and his entourage and the Boholano who succeeded him
Upon confirmation of the crash of Mt. Pinatubo, the leaders of Congress and the members of the Cabinet held an informal meeting on March 17, 1957. It was decided that they create a Joint Executive-Legislative Committee and fly to Cebu City to assist in the situation.
The joint committee was composed of Secretaries Eulogio Balao as chairman, Florencio Moreno, Oscar Ledesma and Paulino Garcia, Senators Emmanuel Pelaez and Francisco Rodrigo for the Senate and Speaker Protempore Daniel Z. Romualdez and Rep. Cornelio Villareal for the House of Representatives. They left Manila at 6:30 in the morning.
On board the plane with President Magsaysay were Education Secretary Gregorio Hernandez Jr., Congressman Pedro Lopez of Cebu, Brig. Gen. Benito Ebuen, PAF Chief, Senator Tomas Cabili, Lt. Leopoldo Regis, Junior Presidential Aide, Jesus Paredes Jr., Nestor Mata (of Philippines Herald, lone survivor), Pablo Bautista of Liwayway Publications, Major Ramon Camus, Appointments Secretary, Paterno Magsaysay, Patricio Osmeña, Malacañang Assistant Protocol Officer, Major Felipe Nunag, Chief of Security, Antonio Tiangco, Security, Eduardo Reyes, Security, Jose Sarcilla, Valet, Celestino, Valet, Felix Manuel, Malacañang Chief Photographer, M/Sgt. Regino Manuel, DND Movie Cameraman, Cesar Rama, Jesus Rama, Major Florencio Pobre, Pilot, Lt. Col. Alfred M. Bustamante, Capt. Manuel Navea, Co-Pilot, T/Sgt. Alfonso Ibe, Chief of Crew, Sgt. Isidro Fernandez, Assistant Chief and Staff Sgt. Raymundo Ruiz, Radio Operator.
It was 41 hours after the plane bearing President Ramon Magsaysay crashed, the first Boholano (married to a Cebuana, Leonila Dimataga), Carlos Polistico Garcia became the 4th chief executive of the republic.
Swearing before Chief Justice Ricardo Paras of the Supreme Court, the onetime school teacher from Bohol pronounced the following words:
"I, Carlos P. Garcia, of Talibon, Province of Bohol, having succeeded to the Presidency by virtue of the provisions of Article VII, Section 8 of the Constitution, do solemenly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God."
A cabinet meeting then followed, with the new President issuing three proclamations and administrative order:
(1)Proclamation No. 395, declaring Friday, March 22, as a Special Public Holiday throughout the Philippines.
(2)Proclamation No. 396, setting aside Friday, March 22, as the day of the funeral service of President Magsaysay and enjoining the nation to pay their tribute of "love, reverence and respect" to the departed leader's memory.
(3)Proclamation No. 397, declaring a period of national mourning on the death of Ramon Magsaysay, and
(4)Administrative Order No. 235, creating a committee to take charge of the funeral arrangements and burial of the late President Ramon Magsaysay.
President Garcia extended his "sincerest and most heartfelt" sympathies to Mrs. Luz Banzon-Magsaysay (Barrio Luz in Cebu City is named in her honor), Teresita, Milagros and Ramon Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Exequiel Magsaysay, and other relatives of the President.
A report from Defense Undersecretary Jose M. Crisol to Press Secretary at 12:35 p.m. indicated that the President's body was beyond recognition. It was the brother of the late president, Jesus who flew to the scene in a helicopter that identified the cadaver.
To help in the identification of the mangled body of the President, Secretary Cruz informed Usec Crisol that the President was wearing either of two watches, One Rolex self-winding time piece and the other, a Vacheron Constantin.
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