4,000 bid farewell to slain Calbayog mayor

The funeral cortege of the slain mayor Ronaldo Aquino passes major streets of the city before the burial at a private memorial park. Joey Gabieta/Inquirer Visayas

CALBAYOG CITY –– Around 4,000 people lined the streets of this city to bid goodbye to their slain mayor Ronaldo Aquino, who was buried on Wednesday, March 24.

Aquino’s white casket was mounted on a flower-decked truck accompanied by people, who wore white T-shirts with a statement that read: “Justice for Mayor Onald Aquino.”

Before the burial, a Requiem Mass was held at the Saints Peter and Paul Church presided by Bishop Isabelo Abarquez.

A necrological service then followed that lasted for about three hours.

Aquino’s son Mark wore a bulletproof vest during the funeral amid reported threats to his life.

“Thank you for all your support in this time of bereavement,” he said.

Addressing his father, the 38-year Mark said: “Papa, I will not stop until justice is served.”

Mayor Aquino was on his way to the birthday of Mark on March 8 when he was killed in what the Philippine National Police in Eastern Visayas said was a shootout between the mayor’s group and policemen belonging to the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).

Aside from Aquino, five others were killed, including his driver and police escort, two PDEU members, and a civilian who was hit by a stray bullet.

Aquino’s wife Marcelina hoped that all those who had a hand in her husband’s death would be arrested and rot in jail.

“It is so hard to accept (that he was brutally killed). My husband was a good person and a good friend. Stop these killings,” she said as tears flowed from her eyes.

Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento and his brother, former Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, also decried the murder of Aquino.

“Let’s give meaning to his death,” Congressman Sarmiento said.

Both the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation are conducting separate probes on Aquino‘s death.

In his homily, Bishop Avarquez called on the government to stop the senseless killings in Calbayog.

“The Catholic church does not condone any extrajudicial killings. Calbayognons do not tolerate any extrajudicial killings,” he said.

Before Aquino’s burial at the Calbayog Memorial Park, his supporters held an indignation rally on the city streets to seek justice for the slain mayor.

Aquino was the second mayor of Calbayog to be killed.

In May 2011, Aquino’s predecessor, Reynaldo Uy, was gunned down while attending a fiesta celebration in Hinabangan town. His killing remains unsolved.

A 49-year-old tricycle driver, Jose Garcia, described Aquino as very generous.

He said he was supposed to visit Aquino at his office to ask for help for the medical expenses of his wife, who is suffering from an unknown illness.

“Now we don’t know where to ask for help other than getting a loan,” Garcia added.

LZB