(UPDATE) Noynoy: No state funeral for Cory
MANILA - The Aquinos have decided on a private funeral for the late President Corazon Aquino, who died early morning Saturday after battling colorectal cancer for more than a year.
Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said they have decided to have a private funeral, instead of a state funeral.
"It won't be a state funeral," the senator said.
"That was the intention from the start," he said, adding that nobody from the presidential office had contacted him "nor am I waiting to talk to anybody there."
Aquino also said that they have not yet been contacted by Malacañang regarding any plans for a state funeral.
"For all intentions and purposes, she had been a private citizen after stepping down, and siguro, to a degree we would like to spend as much time as possible as a family with her," he said, explaining their decision.
Aquino, however, said that there will still be honor guards at the wake, as per tradition in wakes for former government officials.
"I understand there will be honor guards at La Salle. I still have to be briefed on the parts... of the protocol, and I have to consult also the rest of my siblings," he said.
The body of the former leader will lie in state at the La Salle Greenhills (LSGH) gymnasium, and the wake will be open to the public at certain times, Aquino's spokesperson Deedee Siytangco told members of the media at a press conference at the Cojuangco Building in Makati City.
The public viewing at the LSGH will be held starting 5 p.m. Saturday, and will continue until Monday. The daily viewing schedule will be until 4 a.m., and will then resume on 7 a.m. There will also be a mass at the LSGH at 8 p.m. Saturday.
During the duration of the wake, there will be Catholic Masses daily at 12 noon and 8 p.m.
For those who will go to the LSGH, the line for the public viewing will start and end at the school's Gate 5.
Family members, VIP guests and members of the media will enter and exit at the LSGH Gate 6.
On Tuesday up until Wednesday, a necrological service, an overnight vigil, and a requiem will be held at the Manila Cathedral, Siytangco said. The exact times of these activities will be announced later.
On Wednesday, Aquino will be buried at the Manila Memorial Park after a 9 a.m. mass at the cathedral. She will be buried beside her late husband, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Siytangco also announced details on rules of media coverage of the wake, the television coverage of which will be led by ABS-CBN.With a report from Pia Hontiveros, ABS-CBN News, and the Agence France-Presse
For more news on Cory, log on to http://coryaquino.abs-cbnnews.com
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Share your views
OMG
I respect the decision of Ninoy and family but I have reservations as to the rationale of such decision. "Privacy" as a motive is too shallow and misplaced. Pati ba naman yong HONOR which befits a national icon ay sasamahan pa natin ng pulitika at sama ng loob. It's ironic that Marcos' family despite the former president's debts to the filipino people practically beg for the return of Marcos' body and be accorded a State funeral. Please lang, isantabi muna natin yang pulitika at bigyan ng karangalan hangggang sa kanyang huling hantungan ang pinakamamahal nating leader na si Tita Cory. Please lang... Tita Cory, marami pong salamat sa lahat at alam kong masaya ka sa KANYANG tabi ngayon.
State Burial
I appeal to the heirs and successors of our former President Corazon Aquino to reconsider their decision to have a private burial for their mother. I appeal to them to allow the Government and the State to give her the honour that befits her most: a State burial complete with the full panoply of State paraphernalia and regalia. For she is not just her heirs’s mothers; she is also our former President. To bury her in a private burial, with out State burial, will be to deprive the Filipino peoples of expressing their thanks to her. So, I appeal to the Aquino children to allow the State to give their mother, who is our President also, the burial fitting for her: a State burial, and not just a private burial.
Disappointed with Noynoy
I am disappointed with the decision of Noynoy and his siblings to have private funeral rather than state funeral. With the popularity of Cory Aquino here and around the world, not giving her the accolade she deserves is in a way injustice to her.
She's an "icon of democracy" the world over let's not forget that. Allowing the former president to have a state funeral, is a way to let the younger generations instill in their minds of what this great Filipino has done in our country and how the world looked up high on us on those moments in history.
I hope they would reconsider their decision.
Condolence
My heartfull condolence to the Aquino family. She will always be remembered as a true icon of democracy and even though it is sad, i'm happy also that she is not pain anymore and she is resting in peace with her beloved husband Ninoy and our Lord
"...nor am I waiting to talk to anybody there" - NOYNOY AQUINO
"...nor am I waiting to talk to anybody there" - NOYNOY AQUINO
Even at the end of his mother's well-respected, iconic life, the son, Noynoy Aquino, seems unstoppable in interjecting his political stand. So sad...