President Rodrigo Duterte has declared June 24 to July 3 as a Period of National Mourning over the passing of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
In a press statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that Duterte signed Proclamation No. 1169, declaring a 10-day mourning period following the death of Aquino Thursday morning.
Under the Period of National Mourning, Roque said the national flag will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset at all government buildings and installations throughout the Philippines and abroad for a period of 10 days.
He also encouraged the public to pay tribute to the former president for his contributions to the country.
“Let us continue to pray and pay respects to the former President who gave his best to serve our nation and our people,” he said.
Duterte thanked Aquino for his service to the country and expressed hope that Filipinos would be inspired by his legacy.
NOT ONLY ‘LOVE AND PRAYERS’
He assured Noynoy’s family that the national government will provide assistance apart from “love and prayers.”
Duterte, in an official statement, also urged the public to set differences aside and offered prayers for the repose of the former president’s soul.
“Let us all take this opportunity to unite in prayer and set aside our differences as we pay respects to a leader who has given his best to serve the Filipino people,” he said.
Before the proclamation, national flags in several areas in the country, including in Bacolod City and Negros Island, were lowered to half-mast to honor Aquino.
The Aquino family said the remains of the former president were cremated at the Heritage Park in Taguig, Thursday.
A mass was held at the Ateneo de Manila University yesterday while inurnment will be held today at the Manila Memorial Park, beside his parents – former president Cory Aquino and former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
PNoy was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. Thursday due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.
He was the country’s 15th president from 2010 to 2016, served as senator from 2007 to 2010, and as congressman of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007.
FULL MILITARY HONORS
Full military honors highlighted by gun salutes were accorded to Aquino starting yesterday until his inurnment today, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday night.
AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said eight cannon rounds were fired in succession for reveille starting 5 a.m. yesterday.
Today, there will be a 21-gun salute with the guns fired at one-minute intervals, starting when the former president’s remains will be moved from the area where the necrological services were held, or until the time that the remains reach the place of inurnment.
A similar firing of cannons will be observed in other military camps immediately after the inurnment has been completed, he added.
“We are going to make the necessary arrangements to render these protocols, honors and ceremonies befitting a former president. And on the date of interment, available personnel will be lining up the road to provide necessary honors to the president as his funeral is moved from the place where the necrological services were held or were done, up to the place where he will be interred,” he said.*PNA
