Leyteños pay last respects to Kokoy

TACLOBAN CITY — More than 20,000 people lined this city’s streets as early as 8 a.m. yesterday to pay their respects as the funeral procession for former Gov. Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez passed by.

Romualdez’s glass coffin was placed on a flatbed truck adorned with white flowers. Four policemen stood as an honor guard around the casket.

A convoy of about 100 vehicles, including police cars, accompanied the truck which wended its way from the Romualdez ancestral home on Real Street to the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport where a private plane waited to take the remains back to Manila.

Some people waved white and purple strips of cloth as the procession passed. Others held up pictures of Romualdez with words that read, “We will forever remember Kokoy,” “Thank you Kokoy,” and “The number one governor of Leyte.”

Son Benjamin Philip Romualdez said the outpouring of sympathy only strengthened his belief that the Romualdez family was deeply loved by the people of Leyte.  /INQUIRER