CEBU, Philippines — A 21-gun salute signaled the final farewell for Cebu City Mayor Labella at the Golden Haven Memorial Park in Barangay Binaliw where he was laid to rest Friday, November 26, 2021, seven days after he passed away due to septic shock secondary to pneumonia.
He also had recurring prostate cancer.
Hundreds of the mayor’s supporters trooped to the city’s streets with messages on placards and streamers as the convoy transporting Labella’s remains moved from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Cebu City to the mountain barangay of Binaliw where Golden Haven is located.
The travel lasted close to two hours.
On Osmeña Boulevard, one of the city’s major thoroughfares, policemen lined up along the street and offered Labella a salute while personnel from different disaster response teams in the city sprayed water into the air as the convoy passed by them.
Rose petals cascaded down the vehicle adorned with intricate flower arrangements that carried Labella’s casket draped with the Philippine flag.
Residents of sition Zapatera in Barangay Luz released doves into the air.
Some school children were seen with their parents waving as the convoy passed by them. Under Labella’s administration, public elementary school students received free uniforms and school supplies.
Crowds filled the streets as the convoy reached Barangay Bacayan where Labella’s house stands.
City Tribute
Prior to the requiem mass officiated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma at the Cathedral, the city government offered a necrological service at City Hall where Labella’s remains stayed for two days.
“Lovable. He's being loved. We love him. I love my partner. We have differences, policies only. Disagreements, policies only,” said Mayor Michael Rama.
From being vice mayor, he took over the post as mayor, as mandated by law, when Labella died so as not to disrupt the delivery of services.
Rama said he will never forget how Labella – who was his vice mayor from 2013 to 2016 – continued calling him mayor even after assuming the post in the 2019 polls.
“This is his last day here in City Hall. We've always been seeing Edgardo during flag ceremony and he would even would wish me to talk. 'Mayor can you share talks?' And I always tell him, this is your term. Do it. You are the mayor. I am the vice mayor. This is your time to talk to our fellow servants, including me as your vice mayor,” he said.
Rama said he had asked Labella to “whisper me what do you wish that I should do so that we can continue what we founded.”
“I wish this not goodbye because we don't say goodbye but, until we meet again. Edgardo, someday, we'll see each other and we'll reverberate your mantra and my mantra... Edgardo, even if you are enjoying eternal rest, pray for us because that is what we need-- unity and harmony. Rest in peace, my partner, my friend, my confidant,” Rama said.
Private disclosure
The calm atmosphere turned emotional when former city administrator, Atty. Floro Casas, Jr. shared his conversations with Labella and his sentiments on the attacks against the late mayor.
Casas, Labella’s right hand and one of his trusted men, described Labella as the most dignified politician he had ever known.
“Sa akong pagkaila, ang akong mayor dili palaaway, ang akong mayor dili traydor, ang akong mayor dili hilabtanon, ang akong mayor dili bakakon, ug ang akong mayor dili plastic,” he said.
He recalled how Labella worked hard since he won mayor in 2019 until the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic took a huge toll on his health.
There was no turning back from there.
He said it was in June 2020 when Labella informed him that he was not in good shape. At that time, Labella reportedly said that his doctors had told him he would still live for the next 15 years.
At that point, Cebu City was tagged as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.
“Hearing those words, I felt so bad and worried kay si Mayor Edgar is not just my boss, he's like a father to me. So ako siyang gipangutana, 'Mayor unsa man ka? Mo-plano ka nga mag-leave ka para makapahuway ka and then you can seek medical treatment?' Pero, directly, iya ko giingnan, 'Dili lang ko mo-leave kay daghan pa ta og trabahoon. Unya nalang, dong, kung mo-ubos-ubos na ang atoang kaso sa COVID',” Casas recalled.
Labella reportedly continued to attend meetings in person almost every day and even visited quarantine facilities.
Casas said that while Labella opened up to him about his health condition, he also requested him to keep their conversation private because he would want the public to focus on what he had done rather than on his illness.
When 2021 came, Labella would take leaves of absence for various health reasons. He was in and out of the hospital until October when he had to take an indefinite leave, his seventh for the year.
Attacks
Casas recalled how Labella would share with him his sentiments on the attacks thrown at him, especially on social media.
“Since Friday up to now, I've been hearing praises and nice words for Mayor Edgar Labella and salamat kaayo, pero pasensya na kay these praises make me feel very, very sad because those praises came from the same people who kept on maliciously attacking the mayor at the height of the pandemic,” Casas said, his tears could no longer be held back.
“What made me sadder is the fact that these attacks came from people whom Mayor Edgar considered as friends. Naay panahon nga didto mi sa pantry ni Mayor, maghilak na si Mayor and wala gyud koy mabuhat kay si Mayor ana siya 'Dong, mas maayo pa nga mag-antos ko kaysa mabungkag ang atoang grupo',” he added.
Group
With Labella gone, Casas said they feel that their “boat is sinking.”
“Karon Mayor, wala na ka, we are all alone. We are all alone. Our heart is heavy. We don't know what to do. And Mayor, we feel that our boat, that the boat that you made, is sinking. Please guide us so that, like you, we will survive this tragedy and we will survive this oppression,” he said.
He revealed that in the next few days, they will be making a “very big decision” and asked Labella to enlighten them if such decision will be right and “will be most beneficial to all the Cebuanos.”
A son’s praise
Labella’s son, Jaypee, said that while others may know the late mayor as a graft buster or as a public servant, he knows him as the patriarch of their family.
Before entering politics, Labella served as Ombudsman for the Visayas.
“Lahi-lahi ta og pag-ila kang Edgar Labella, apan sa daghan pud nga mga butang susama pud ang atong pagkaila kaniya nga ang kadasig sa pagserbisyo, ang pagpahiubos, pagkamabinut-anon, ang pagpasensya, ug ang ligdong nga pagtuo mao kini ang mga butang nga nipaila sa akong Papa,” said Jaypee.
“Ako, mingawon gyud ko niya. Ang kasakit ug kahiubos sa iyang pagbiya, pabilin sa akong kasing-kasing aning mga buwan sa Pasko, Bag-ong Tuig, ug sa mga sunod nga katuigan, apan matagbawon gihapon ako nga nakasaksi sa mga nabuhat niya alang sa pinalangga niyang Sugbo ug pinalangga niya, ang mga Sugbuanon,” he added. - Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, JMO (FREEMAN)