FORMER President Benigno S. Aquino III, more fondly known as PNoy or Noynoy, passed away early Thursday morning (June 24), shortly after being rushed to Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City, according to former top aides of the 15th President. He was 61.
Even as reports have been swirling since dawn, media outlets and social media are awaiting the official announcement from the family.
His youngest sister Kris was seen entering the hospital shortly past 9am.
Aquino, who served as congressman of Tarlac and then senator from 2007 to 2010, was catapulted to the presidency in 2010 on the wave of the nation’s outpouring of grief over the death of his mother, former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, to cancer, in August 2009.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Senate – where Aquino served for three years – is in mourning. The Philippine flag has been placed at half mast outside the Senate building.
Aquino was rushed to hospital at dawn. He had been known to be treated for various illnesses, but the exact cause of death was yet unclear in the absence of a medical bulletin.
Among the first to issue a statement on Aquino’s death was Edita T. Burgos, widow of the press freedom icon Joe Burgos and mother of desaparecido Jonas Burgos.
In a text message to BusinessMirror, she said: “I am grateful to President Noynoy Aquino for signing RA 10368, the Anti-Disappearance Law, the only country in Asia with a law on enforced disappearance. As a senator, his first privilege speech was on the enforced disappearance cases in the Philippines, focusing on the case of Jonas Joseph Burgos.”
Burgos further recalled: “I was privileged to be in the gallery seated beside the former President Corazon Aquino as he delivered his speech in the Senate. I thank Pres. Noynoy for giving me and my son, J Luis, the time to discuss with him Jonas’ disappearance a few days before he was installed as president even if he was very busy. Maraming salamat President Aquino for being an honest president.”
Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen described Aquino as “a kind man, driven by his passion to serve our people, diligent in his duties, and with an avid and consuming curiousity about new knowledge and the world in general.”
“I have learned a lot from him. I saw him carry his title with dignity and integrity. It was an honor to have served with him. He will be missed,” Leonen further stated.
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