Senator Francis Pangilinan. INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Unknown to many, Secretary Jesse Robredo would still take public transportation to go to his home province in Naga City even if he was already head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
This was how Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan remembered Robredo, his longtime friend and political ally. Both belonged to President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party.
Robredo, 54, died in a plane crash last Saturday while on his way to Naga City. He was the first Cabinet member of the Aquino administration to pass away while in office.
“After 18 years as mayor of Naga City, Sec. Jesse would still take public transportation coming to Manila or returning to Naga and travelling within Metro Manila,” Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan wrote on his Twitter account.
“This is the quality of public service that Sec. Jesse displayed. His passing is a terrible loss not only for the party but even more so for the nation,” Pangilinan said.
In fact, the senator said, Robredo was planning to take a bus to Naga City together with his older children had he decided to take a commercial flight from Cebu to Manila.
But Robredo and his aide, June Paul Abrasado, decided to take a private plane that crashed the waters off Masbate Island around 5 p.m. Saturday. His aide survived the crash.
“The plan was to take the bus to Naga together with his children,” Pangilinan said.
Indeed, the senator said he was dumbfounded to hear Robredo’s passing, saying the country has lost a “dedicated and committed public servant.”