MANILA – Mourners continued to flock La Salle Green Hills Sunday to pay their last respects to former president Corazon Aquino who passed away Saturday after more than a year of fighting colon cancer.

Supporters and sympathizers, some of whom came from provinces, lined up as early as 4 a.m. at Gate 4. The gate was reportedly opened past 7 a.m. 

Geraldine Lo from Cebu were among those who patiently queued in the street to get a glimpse of the former leader. Lo praised Aquino for being “compassionate” and “affectionate” when she was still alive.

Arianne Arceo, teacher of Aquino’s grandson, Joshua, said she wanted to be present in the wake of the late democracy icon because "she meant a lot to the country."

Margarita Lu, who was wearing a yellow shirt, went to La Salle Green Hills with her pet dog. She said she was in La Salle Green Hills to see her "idol" one last time.

Most of those who paid their last respects to Aquino were seen wearing yellow shirts and holding a rosary. Reports said sidewalk vendors are selling black, white and yellow shirts for P120 each.

Traffic enforces have been deployed along Ortigas Avenue as more people are expected to show up Sunday.

Aquino's body is scheduled to be brought to Manila Cathedral at 11 a.m. Monday.

ABS-CBN execs attend wake

Meantime, executives of ABS-CBN paid their respects to the former president Saturday. These included ABS-CBN chairman and chief executive officer Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio and former ABS-CBN president Freddie Garcia.

Aquino was instrumental in returning to the Lopezes their businesses, including ABS-CBN and Meralco, which were taken over during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Vice President Noli de Castro was the highest government official who went to the first day of the wake as President Arroyo is still in the United States. Arroyo has cut short her US trip to join the nation in mourning Aquino’s death.

It was a sorrowful reunion among Aquino’s former Cabinet as well. Soldiers and policemen who remained loyal to her despite the coup d’etats that rocked her administration, meantime, saluted her.

Other friends from the business and political arena also arrived Saturday including former president Fidel V. Ramos and former Senate President Jovito Salonga. Salonga had disagreed with Aquino on some issues but they still remained friends. With reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News, and radio dzMM