MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Thursday, June 24, 2021, mourned the death of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as they described the late former chief executive as a “good man” and someone who served the country with “humility, honor, and integrity.”
READ: Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III passes away
“No matter what political side you’re on when a former president passes away, the country mourns,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.
“His death diminishes us all,” added Sotto, who already ordered that the Philippine flag in the Senate flown at half-mast.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, an opposition lawmaker, remembered Aquino as a “good man” and considered him as “one of the best things that happened to the country pagkatapos ng [after the] 1986 People Power Revolution.”
“Nung mga taon na presidente natin si PNoy, ang dami nating mabuting nagawa, tayong mga Pilipino. He’s a good man at ang dami nating mabuting nagawa during his watch, maraming na-repare na democratic institution,” she said in an online interview with reporters.
‘Did not deserve to be unappreciated’
Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, called Aquino’s passing “heartbreaking.”
“So sad to hear that at a relatively young age of 61, he had passed on to the Great Beyond. As our country’s leader, he did not deserve to be unappreciated. He served his country very well with humility, honor, and integrity,” Lacson said in a message.
“Even as President, he always managed to promptly respond to my messages, no matter how casual and trivial. It was indeed a privilege to have served with him – both in the Senate and the Executive Department, but more than that, to be his friend,” he added.
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Meanwhile, senators who served in the House of Representatives with Aquino also mourned the passing of the former president.
“I will always treasure the memories of our long years together as freshmen legislators and members of a tiny opposition,” Senator Imee Marcos said.
“For beyond politics and much public acrimony, I knew Noynoy the kind and simple soul. He will be deeply missed,” she added.
Senator Sonny Angara, who was a colleague of Aquino in the lower chamber from 2004 to 2007, said the former chief executive “introduced widespread reforms and espoused a strong anti-corruption policy during his presidency” in order to continue the legacy of his parents.
READ MORE: Manila mourns passing of ex-president Noynoy Aquino, flags at half-mast
“‘Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong.’ ‘Walang tongpats.’ ‘Kayo ang boss ko.’ These are just some of the quotes of PNoy that are forever etched in the hearts and minds of every Filipino and aptly captures his stance against the abuse of power by the people in power,” Angara said.
Aquino reportedly died at 4:30 a.m. at the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City.
Aquino’s family, however, has yet to make an official announcement on the former president’s death.