Pangulong Aguino, binigyan ng full military funeral honors; pagpaparangal, pinangunahan ng AFP Chief of Staff
- The Armed Forces of the Philippines, led by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, accorded full military honors to the funeral and interment of former President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III
- Commanders of major services like the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Army, also participated in the event
- According to the AFP, the late President deserved the honors having been their former Commander-In-Chief
- The ceremony itself, which included the slow march of six honor guards bearing the urn containing the President’s ashes and is akin to a state funeral, was very solemn and touching
PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed
President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino was finally laid to rest today at high noon with full military honors.
Source: Facebook
The leader who marked his Presidency with all things simple, even stopping at every red traffic light despite the wishes of the PSG, was buried with glorious military splendor befitting that of a President.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines was represented by no less than the AFP Chief of Staff, General Cirilito Sobejana, a Medal of Valor awardee who graduated from PMA a year after PNoy’s mom, then President Cory Aquino, became the nation’s leader.
All commanders of the major services of the AFP, the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Army, were there to honor their fallen former Commander-In-Chief.
Howitzer cannons and rifles firing in succession for the gun salute punctuated the somber and silent atmosphere.
Philippine Air Force helicopters showered the mourners and brigade-size military contingent, which was led by its top generals and admirals, with yellow rose petals, blanketing a huge expanse of the area.
Many people were touched at the sight of the slow and measured steps of six honor guards bearing the urn containing the ashes of the late President.
Tears flowed when the commanders of the major services of the AFP passed the folded flag to one another.
Each of them briefly holding it near his chest before passing it to other generals and admirals, until it reached the Chief of Staff of the AFP, General Cirilito Sobejana, who then handed it to the eldest of the Aquino sisters, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz.
He then rendered what is termed by military insiders as the Salute of Valor, so-called because Gen. Sobejana’s right arm was badly damaged after an encounter with rebels, which earned him the Medal of Valor, and so can only salute with his left hand.
He is the only one allowed to do that in the current Philippine military organization.
The military generals and admirals who all wore the uniform called the “White Duck,” worn during burial honors, also sport a wide black armband on their left arm, which Gen. Sobejana ordered them to wear at all times for 30 days.
At the end of the day, the late President has arrived at his final resting place.
PAY ATTENTION: Don't miss the latest Filipino news and the hottest celebrity stories on KAMI.com.ph!
Full military honors are often accorded to deceased individuals who have done exemplary undertakings when they were still alive. Oftentimes given to heads of states or those considered heroes, funerals with full military honors feature canons, brigade-size military contingent, ancient canon carriages, and top officers of the military organization.
PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!
When news of former Pres. Benigno Aquino III being rushed to the hospital on Thursday morning came out, many thought he would come out of it okay. Close to 7 a.m., news of his demise trickled out though it was largely unconfirmed at first. However, news of such magnitude is difficult to contain and soon, it all became too real. The President was dead, according to people who flocked at the Capitol Medical Center where he was brought. PNoy served as President from 2010 to 2016 and he was able to deliver economic growth of over 6%, which was deemed as the highest growth since the 1970s.
A report from Rappler revealed that former President Aquino has recently undergone a heart operation. He has also been battling with various illnesses and had undergone dialysis for five months.
Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Don’t hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters!
Source: KAMI.com.gh
