MANILA – Former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino was known to be a doting mother to her children and to the Philippine nation as well.

Basketball superstar James Yap of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants added that Aquino was a very understanding and supportive mother-in-law.

Yap is the husband of Cory’s daughter, television host and actress Kris Aquino. They have a child, James Jr. who is also known as Baby James. Kris’ eldest child, Joshua, is her son with actor Philip Salvador.

“Wow grabe, talagang sobrang bait niya talaga,” Yap told ABS-CBN News. “Kaya kung ako tatanungin mo, gusto ko pa siyang mabuhay.”

He went on: “Pero at least ngayon nakapagpahinga na siya. Alam ko talaga na nasa kamay siya ng ating Panginoon.”

Yap added that Aquino family members have accepted the fate of their matriarch.

“From the start, kinundisyon talaga ng mom ang mind ng lahat ng anak niya.... so kaya hindi naman masyadong nahirapan,” he said.

Aquino, 76, succumbed to colon cancer on Saturday, 3:18 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center.

Yap, who was part of the Powerade-Team Pilipinas that competed in Taiwan, did not finish his stint at the recent Williams Jones Cup to be with his ailing mother-in-law and the rest of the Aquino family.

He returned to the Philippines even if the RP team had two more games to play.

“Ma-mi-miss ko siya talaga kasi yung support niya sa akin… nanonood siya every game sa TV,” he shared.

“Di ko talaga makalimutan pumasok kami sa finals, pinag-ro-rosary niya ako,” he continued. “Kaya sobrang ma-mi-miss ko si mom.”

When asked for his message for his mother-in-law, he said, “Mom, I love you so much and thank you sa lahat-lahat ng suporta, sa pagmamahal.” With a report from Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News