LIGAO CITY, Albay—In the whirlwind political campaign of Liberal Party’s “Daang Matuwid” coalition, Masbate was among the areas they visited.
Visiting Masbate is always a bittersweet moment for LP’s vice presidential bet Leni Robredo.
In 2012, the Piper Seneca plane that her late husband and former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was riding crashed on its way to the Masbate airport. His remains were found off the coast of the province after three days of massive search.
READ: Robredo, 2 others missing after plane crash
On Saturday morning, Robredo, LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas and the rest of the party’s Senate slate went to Masbate to kick off their campaign for the national elections.
In an ambush interview in Ligao City, Albay province, Robredo said that whenever she arrived at the Masbate airport, she couldn’t help but remember the sadness she felt at the time her husband’s body was yet to be found.
“‘Yung Masbate kasi palaging emotional sa akin ‘yan. Since my husband died, I’ve been back siguro mga six times, parating iba ‘yung feeling lalo na ‘yung pag palapit na sa airport, parati kong na-iimagine what must have happened noong nag-crash ang eroplano,” she said.
When in Masbate, Robredo said she would always wonder where exactly Jesse’s plane crashed and why he didn’t survive, considering her husband knew how to swim well.
“‘Naalala ko ‘yung first time na nakita ko, grabe ‘yung pagsisi kasi malapit na lang sa shore. Knowing my husband ang husay lumangoy pero hindi siya nakasalba. ‘Yung affirmation na baka ‘yun na ang nakatakda sa kanya. Sa Masbate ‘yun ang mga imagination ko. Ano kaya ang last few minutes before the crash?” Robredo said.
But the Camarines Sur lawmaker said she also felt grateful whenever she went to the province because Masbateños were deeply involved in the search for Jesse.
“Three days and three nights nawala ang asawa ko. Halos lahat ng tao doon involved sa search kaya naman ang laki ng pasasalamat ko … Isang malaking utang na loob ito na dadlahin ko habang buhay kaya ‘yun ang connection ko sa mga tao,” Robredo said. RC
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