Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Malacañang expressed its sympathies to the family of Philippine Daily Inquirer editor in chief Letty Jimenez Magsanoc, who passed away on Christmas eve.
READ: Esteemed PDI editor in chief Letty J. Magsanoc passes away
“We join the Philippine Daily Inquirer and all Filipino journalists in mourning the passing of Letty Jimenez Magsanoc,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement. “She was in every sense of the word, a freedom fighter, wielding her pen against the dictatorship, and any and all who would oppress and betray the Filipino people, on whose behalf she was a fearless crusader for democracy, accountability, and honesty.”
“We hope that her family’s deep sadness at this time will be at least partially assuaged, by the deep admiration her peers and reading public felt for her,” he added.
Lacierda said Magsanoc, who passed away at the St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City, has been “a force for good in our society, a truth-teller to the nation and mentor to so many in her field.”
Former senator and interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II also sent his condolences.
“Letty Jimenez Magsanoc brought honor to Philippine journalism by her insistence on the unvarnished truth, her insistence on fairness in reportage, and her zeal for justice,” the presidential candidate said.
“All these, along with her deep personal integrity, made her what she was: a Filipina who fought the dictator and grafters and crooks with an unyielding commitment to having a country where no one would be oppressed, and where all would live without fear or want. I join the reading public in mourning her passing,” he said.
Magsanoc was one of the founders of the Inquirer, which was launched during the martial law. Her leadership was instrumental in making the Inquirer the country’s leading newspaper.
READ: Magsanoc, who led the Inquirer for 24 years, writes 30