President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday visited the wake of the late President Fidel V. Ramos at the Heritage Park in Taguig City.
“His service to the public as a soldier and public servant will never be paralleled and will never be forgotten forever,” Marcos said.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, former Vice President Leni Robredo, and current and former Cabinet officials likewise paid their respects to Ramos, the country’s 12th Chief Executive who passed away Sunday at the age of 94.
Other officials present at the wake yesterday were Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III also condoled with the Ramos family with Energy Secretary Rafael Lotilla and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, who were both undersecretaries in the FVR administration from 1992 to 1998.
Senators Ramon Revilla, co-chairman of Lakas CMD which Ramos founded, and Francis Tolentino were also present.
Marcos arrived at the wake past 10:20 a.m. just ahead of former Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales.
The President said he came to offer his condolences to the family of Ramos as he noted their kinship—Ramos is Marcos’ distant uncle.
Marcos also recalled how “Steady Eddie” became a “symbol of stability” for the country.
“I just reminded Mrs. Ramos (saying) on how FVR, when he became president, was a symbol of stability after all the tumultuous events of 1986. When he came into the presidency, he brought calm and he brought stability to our country,” he said in a short interview with the media.
“And for that, we will always be grateful to him and for all his service all throughout his life as a soldier and as a public servant,” he added.
Ramos will be accorded a state funeral with full military honors on August 9, according to Malacañang.
Marcos released Proclamation No. 33 last August 1 declaring a National Day of Mourning in honor of the late President. He also called on Filipinos to pray for the former leader’s eternal repose.
Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc lawmakers expressed condolences to the family of the late president, saying Ramos pursued peace and justice.
“The Makabayan bloc in Congress extends its condolences to the family and friends of former President Fidel Valdez Ramos. He was a leader who understood that for our country to prosper we need peace based on justice and that it can only be attained by addressing the root causes of armed conflict,” they said in a statement.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would do well to follow his example on the question of peace,” they added.
During the Ramos administration in 1995, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) was inked between the Philippine government and communist rebels, a pact which provided safety and immunity to negotiators, consultants, staffers, security, and other personnel who participated in the peace process.