MANILA, Philippines — When the remains of the late Representative Ignacio Arroyo finally arrive in the country, it will be his wife, Aleli and no one else to receive the burial flag at his funeral a week from now.
“Of course, because she is the legal wife,” Aleli’s lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, instantly replied when asked if her client would receive the customary burial flag from the government.
The remains of the deceased congressman are expected to arrive on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. via Emirates Airline, according to a lawyer of his daughter, Bernardina Arroyo-Tantoco.
This was disclosed in a status hearing before a Quezon City court, on the compromise agreement between Aleli or Alicia Rita and the late solon’s partner, Grace Ibuna.
Arroyo’s death on January 26 in London due to a liver ailment has set off a legal battle for the custody of his body both in courts in the United Kingdom and the Philippines.
But with a compromise between the two women on the funeral arrangements, both parties agreed to jointly ask for the dismissal of Aleli’s petition for custody before the Quezon City court.
Judge Eleuterio Bathan of Regional Trial Court Branch 92 told the parties that he would wait for the final compromise agreement before acting on the appeal to dismiss the case.
A visibly pleased Aleli spoke with reporters after the hearing and expressed her gratitude over the impending arrival of the remains of her husband, though long estranged.
“I thank the Lord… My daughter is happy that finally her father will be able to come home. I am very happy that we didn’t have to go through a full blown trial and restraining order,” she said.
The hearing on Monday morning was meant to update the court on the status of the agreement, which included the funeral schedule for the late congressman.
It only covers the arrangements on the various wakes and burials and not the division of expenses.
Ibuna’s lawyer, Leonard de Vera was not present as he sent word that he had another court date, said lawyer Jacqueline Guzman, Bernardina’s counsel.
Bernardina’s lawyer informed the court of an updated schedule, including the arrival of the body on February 29 at 10 p.m.
From the airport, the body will be brought to the Arlington Funeral Homes where it will be prepared.
It will be transferred to the Arroyo ancestral home on 14 Badjao St. in La Vista Subdivision on March 1, where it will remain until March 3, Saturday.
After a 10 a.m. Mass, the remains will be brought to Aleli and Iggy’s conjugal home, a few doors down, on 17 Badjao St. where a wake will be held until Monday, March 5.
Aleli added that she would arrange for the holding of two Masses on Saturday.
From the Arroyo conjugal home, the body will be moved to the House of Representatives on March 5 for a necrological service.
At 4 p.m. that day, the remains will be flown to Bacolod to allow the late solon’s constituents to pay their last respects until March 7.
It will be returned to Manila on the morning of March 8 and brought to the Arroyo ancestral home.
The interment is scheduled on the morning of March 9, Friday at the Manila North Cemetery near the grave of Arroyo’s mother.
Only after the burial would the parties move for the dismissal of the civil case, Kapunan said.
“We trust and have good faith that the parties will abide. We don’t think there is no malicious attempt to delay the remains,” she added, referring to the botched arrival of the remains last week.
The lawyer said the parties, made up of Aleli, Bernardina and De Vera representing Ibuna “are very cooperative.”
Aleli is in charge of the wake at her home while Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, the solon’s brother, is coordinating the wake at the ancestral home. Marilou Arroyo is making arrangements for the Bacolod wake.
At the end of the hearing, Bathan reminded both parties to ensure the complete observance of the agreement.
“See to it that the agreement is executed as soon as possible… So that both parties will have peace of mind,” the judge added.