In Bohol town, a hero’s burial in its simplest form

Relatives and friends of Marine Cpl. John Romulo C. Garcia bid farewell to the hero of San Miguel town who, along with 12 other Marines, was killed in a clash with members of the Maute group in Marawi City. —RIZALITA PETALCORIN/CONTRIBUTOR

TAGBILARAN CITY—The only indications that the burial rites held at a church in the town of San Miguel, Bohol province, were those for a hero were the sound of 21 gunshots being fired into the air and of taps being played on a trumpet.

Honored with the most basic of military rituals, John Romulo Garcia, 28 and a Marine corporal, was buried a hero past noon after Mass at San Miguel’s San Labrador Church.

Garcia was among 13 Marines who were killed during a 14-hour clash with members of the Maute group, a homegrown organization of Muslim converts and bandits who had, according to the military, been trying to stick to the Islamic State.
The 21-gun salute was given to Garcia as his parents—Romulo and Sylvia—showed both pride and sadness at their son’s death.

Taps

The taps played as Garcia’s remains were being lowered to their resting place.

Conrada Caresosa, Garcia’s grandmother, said it was mission accomplished for her grandson.

Caresosa said that instead of the usual condolences, the family received congratulatory messages for the heroism of her grandson.
The provincial board of Bohol officially honored Garcia on June 16 with a resolution passed during its regular session.
Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto, who attended the wake at the Garcia home in Barangay Kagawasan in San Miguel town, turned over a bronze plaque containing the board resolution and financial assistance to the Marine’s family.

Chatto thanked Garcia’s parents “for having a brave son who offered his life so that the country may be at peace.”

Rare chance

“Not everybody is given the chance to die for love of country,” Chatto said in a statement.
Garcia was the eldest among five siblings and a graduate of Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology.

He joined the Marines in 2012.

The Garcia family had been expecting his return after his short vacation in November 2016.

He was unable to return home in April as he took an assignment to provide additional security in Manila during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

But April came and Garcia’s homecoming did not materialize. Instead, he was sent to Marawi City.