Colleagues pay last respects to Miriam

Vice President Leni Robredo signs the guest book at Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago’s wake on Friday. PHOTOS BY FRANCES MANGOSING

Colleagues in the government paid their last respects to former Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Friday.

Vice President Leni Robredo arrived at the wake at Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City, past 5 p.m. and stayed for around 30 minutes.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also dropped by to visit the former senator.

“We regret that she passed away. We lost an icon in Congress. We lost a fierce fighter against corruption,” she told reporters.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, who earned the ire of the senator in 2012 when he covered his ears while she was berating the prosecution for dropping five of the eight articles of impeachment against the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, also went to the wake early evening.

Other personalities who paid their last respects during the day were former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Rep. Toby Tiangco, Sen. Loren Legarda, and former Vice President Noli de Castro.

The Makabayan bloc leaders Satur Ocampo, Renato Reyes, Neri Colmenares were also present.

Sen. Loren Legarda makes her way to the wake of the late senator.

Former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro was also seen at the wake.

With Teodoro, also seen at the wake were former Vice President Noli de Castro and Bayan secretary general Nato Reyes.

Flowers from former Presidents Benigno Aquino III, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada adorn the Immaculate Conception Cathedral where the wake of Sen. Miriam Santiago is being held.

The wife of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Cristina, also visited the late senator.

Santiago was one of the three senators who voted for Corona’s acquittal in 2012 over the impeachment case filed against him. The former Chief Justice died in April due to cardiac arrest.

Public Attorneys Office chief Persida Acosta, meanwhile, referred to the late senator as her “idol.”

“Very supportive siya sa PAO. Pag meron akong pinaglalaban, hindi niya kinokontra. Ibig sabihin the rule of law, nasa kanya rin ang side ng rule of law,” she said.

“Nakita ko ang puso niya para sa pagbabago at sa mahirap. Yung tapang niya sana nakuha ko man lang yung 80 percent. Yung talino niya sana makuha ko ng 80 percent. Idol ko ’yun. Hindi nga lang niya naging destiny maging pangulo. Destiny kasi ’yan,” she added.

Santiago, who died on Thursday morning after a two-year battle with lung cancer, will be laid to rest on Sunday afternoon at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.