Aquino’s aunt dies after collapsing during funeral service for elder brother

MANILA, Philippines — In a sad twist of fate, the aunt of President Aquino died on Tuesday after collapsing at the funeral service for her elder brother.

The Cojuangco-Aquino family lost Josephine Cojuangco-Reyes, the eldest sister of President Aquino’s late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, barely a week after it lost the Cojuangco clan patriarch and Corazon’s eldest brother, Don Pedro, who died of cardio-respiratory arrest.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino was at the funeral service for his uncle at the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park in Makati City when his aunt suddenly collapsed.

Lacierda said that Reyes died at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City, Taguig, but added he did not know details of the cause of her death.

President Aquino only got wind of his aunt’s eventual death at noon on Tuesday, according to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

Abad, who was having lunch with the Chief Executive then, said it was the President’s eldest sister Balsy Aquino-Cruz who called and informed him about the sad news.

Abad said Reyes was delivering a eulogy for her elder brother when she fainted.

He said Mr. Aquino was very sad about what had happened.

Reyes was married to Nicanor Reyes, who owns the Far Eastern University in Manila.