Prov’l Board lauds Cebu bar passer, women’s advocate

A RESOLUTION was passed by the Provincial Board (PB) expressing condolences to the family of the late Purita “Babes” Sanchez who passed away due to lung cancer  last Sunday.

The board said Sanchez’s death was a big loss to Cebu,  particularly the women sector, which  benefited from her dedication and unselfish community service.

Sanchez, 74,  was one of the  founders and a pillar of the Legal Alternatives for Women Center Inc., a Cebu-based nongovernment organization (NGO) that works for the promotion and protection of women’s rights.

“As an epitome of ‘a woman for others,’ Ms Sanchez deserves to be paid the Cebuanos’ last respect with a prayerful wish for the eternal repose of her soul,” part of  the resolution reads.  A copy of the resolution was  given to Sanchez’s family.

Sanchez , a registered nurse, was in and out of the hospital since last year and was diagnosed with fourth stage lung cancer  two weeks ago, said her daughter Farina “Chinky” Dy.

Sanchez succumbed to complications at the North General Hospital in Talamban, Cebu City.  At the time of her death, she was preoccupied with a nursing review center that she set up with close friends.

Dy said her mother remained active in her advocacy in preventing violence against women.

In September 2010, Sanchez and her husband Dr. Melanio “Boy” Sanchez were chosen one of seven “Millenium Development Goal Warriors” by the United Nations, Probe Media Foundation and Kodak for the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment.

Her work was also recognized by the Provincial Women’s Commission as one of the “trailblazers” of Cebu.

The board will also pass a resolution tomorrow congratulating Cebu City law student and former bombing suspect Jed Lazaga for passing the board exams.

“With a fighting spirit and a firm sense of determination, Lazaga was able to heal the bitter scar of his ignominy, move on normally with his law studies, and made such experience his inspiration to reach his dream,” the resolution read.

Lazaga, a law graduate of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), was among the 1,913 examinees who passed the 2011 bar examinations.

In 2010, Lazaga was accused by a fraternity group of throwing a grenade at the crowd celebrating the end of the bar exams outside the De La Salle University (DLSU) campus along Taft Avenue in Manila on Sept. 26, 2010.

He was placed under police custody but was later released since police didn’t know what charges to file against him.

Lazaga said the incident spurred him to study harder. He took the bar exam last November.

Lazaga said he will apply for work at the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) to defend those wrongfully accused of crimes.

The first lawyer of his family, Lazaga’s parents were based in Pilar town. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus