‘KAYO ANG BOSS NIYA’

UPDATED: The body of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III was cremated on Thursday night, June 24, and will be inurned beside his parents at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque on Saturday, June 26.

“Hindi namin pinagdadamot sa mga tao dahil alam namin na marami ang nagmahal at sumuporta kay Noy. The cremation is already finished and (on Friday, June 25), we will have a mass at the Ateneo for him,” Aquino’s youngest sister Kris told reporters on Thursday night.

There will be a public viewing of his urn at the Church of the Gesu inside the Ateneo de Manila University from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday.

"On Saturday, we will bury him beside our parents…Ganun kasimple lang. Sana maintindihan ninyo na we did not think it will happen this soon. We are just trying our best na hindi magkaroon ng super spreader event," Kris said.

Earlier, Kris – along with her sisters Ballsy Cruz, Viel Dee and Pinky Abellada – confirmed that their only brother “died peacefully in his sleep.”

“His death certificate pronounced his death at 6:30 a.m. due to renal disease secondary to diabetes. No words can express how broken our hearts are and how long it will take for us to accept the reality that he is gone,” according to the statement read by Abellada.

“Mission accomplished Noy. Be happy now with Dad and Mom. We love you and we are so blessed to have had the privilege to have you as our brother. We’ll miss you forever,” it added.

The Aquino sisters confirmed that the former president had been in and out of hospital due to his illness.

They also thanked the medical team who attended to him and “gave him true respect by valuing and protecting his privacy,” as well as others like friends who paid him visits and delivered food, and priests and nuns who prayed for him.

Ballsy and Pinky apologized for the late confirmation of their brother’s death, noting that his body still underwent swab test for COVID-19.

Aquino, 61, was rushed to the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City where he was pronounced dead.

Among those seen rushing to the hospital were his sister Kris, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, former interior secretary Mar Roxas, former Cabinet secretary Jose Rene Almendras, former foreign affairs chief Albert Del Rosario and former deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

The former president earlier told The Philippine STAR / OneNews.PH that he had been undergoing dialysis as his kidney was affected by diabetes.

Read More: Former President Noynoy Aquino Passes Away

His remains were later brought to The Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.

Among the first to arrive were Vice President Leni Robredo, his uncle former Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco and cousins former senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and actress-athlete Mikee Cojuangco.

Others who visited on Thursday included Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Panfilo Lacson and Risa Hontiveros, former Ombudsman and Supreme Court associate justice Conchita Carpio-Morales and members of Aquino’s Cabinet.

Here is the complete statement read by Abellada:

Kagaya ng serbisyong binigay nya sa bayan – hindi maingay maingay, trabahong galing sa puso – dahil alam nya – kayo ang boss nya. Kaya nga nakilala siya bilang si P-Noy – dahil ayaw niyang maramdaman na dapat siyang bigyan ng kakaibang pansin. Hangarin nyang hindi mapahiya sa inyo dahil sa paghikayat na mahirap man pero tama na sundin ang daang matuwid – nagawa niya ang lahat ng ‘yon.

Masakit para sa ‘min na tahimik nyang tinanggap ang mga batikos. Natatak sa aming mga magkakapatid na nung sinabihan namin siyang magsalita at labanan ang mga maling haka-haka, simple ang sinagot nya – kaya pa nyang matulog sa gabi.

Hinarap nya ang lahat ng imbestigasyon at akusasyon: Sandiganbayan (noong) November 2017, Senado noong December 2017, at Kongreso noong February  2018.  Because when you enter public service, when you serve with honesty and dignity, and  you  know  you  have  committed  no  crimes against the people, hindi ka matatakot magsabi ng totoo.

Pribado siyang tao. Bago pa man ang pandemic, labas­masok na sya sa ospital. Nais naming magpasalamat sa lahat ng mga doktor, at sa buong medical team na nag alaga sa kapatid namin. Naramdaman namin bilang mga kapatid nya, that they did everything to make him comfortable, they became compassionate friends who gave him true respect by valuing and protecting his privacy.

Sa lahat ng mga totoong  kaibigan nya, na walang palya syang dinadalaw, tine-text, pinapadalhan  ng pagkain, sinasamahan, at pinrotektahan sya, salamat.

Sa mga madre at pari na malapit sa pamilya namin na walang sawang pinagdasal ang kanyang paggaling – salamat.

Sa "tropa" niya, kay Ivy, at siguro ang numero uno sa listahan si Yolly na 30 years syang inalagaan – lahat ng kasama nya sa Times Street na mula nung pandemic bihirang nag off dahil alam na delikado para sa kanya –  salamat.

Sa mga botante ng 2nd district ng Tarlac in 1998 kayo ang unang bumoto sa kanya, sa inyo sya nagsimula – 3 terms ang nabuo nya. Sa 14.3 million Filipinos who in 2007 voted for him to become senator. And sa 15.2 million Filipinos na nagtiwala sa kanya noong 2010 at binigay ang pinakamalaking karangalan na pwedeng maipagkaloob sa kahit na sinong Pilipino – habang buhay naming tatanawin na utang na loob ‘yung naibigay nyo sa aming kapatid. Maraming Salamat.

It is with profound grief that on behalf of our family, I am confirming that our brother, Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III died peacefully in his sleep. His death certificate pronounced his death at 6:30 A.M. due to renal disease secondary to diabetes. No words can express how broken our hearts are and how long it will take for us to accept the reality that he is gone.

Mission accomplished Noy, be happy now with Dad and Mom. We love you and we are so blessed to have had the privilege to have you as our brother. We'll miss you forever.