President Rodrigo Duterte paid his last respects to Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal on Monday dawn. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
President Rodrigro Duterte personally gave his assurance that he will sign an executive order declaring October 26 a holiday all over Cebu for the burial of Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
The President made the pronouncement when he visited the wake of Vidal at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
He arrived at the wake at 12:05 am on Monday dawn where he was greeted by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.
President Duterte also immediately approached Vidal’s younger brother Juanito Vidal who was waiting at the wake sitting on a wheelchair.
He then approached the casket of Vidal where he silently paid his last respects for about two minutes.
The President also gave a short speech in front of local church officials and people who waited for his arrival since past 9 p.m. on Sunday.
In his speech, he said he had a lot of documents waiting in his office in Manila earlier on Sunday but he had to to attend to a commitment to attend the 38th MassKara Festival in Bacolod City.
He decided to make a brief unplanned stopover in Cebu so he could visit the wake of Vidal.
Palma thanked the President for taking time to visit the prelate’s wake. The President left the wake at around 12:33 a.m.
He was set to fly back to Manila from the Mactan Airbase.
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino said he will clarify details about the pronouncement of the President on the declaration of a holiday.
But he said they expect the declaration to be signed at the latest on Tuesday.