Iloilo declares days of mourning for Robredo

ILOILO province joins the nation in mourning the death of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. issued Executive Order (EO) 105 declaring days mourning in the province from August 21, 2012 until Robredo’s interment.

The EO also directs that during this period the national flag shall be at half-staff from sunrise to sunset in all Provincial Government buildings.

The Provincial Government offered a holy mass on Thursday in honor of Robredo at the Provincial Capitol lobby.

It was attended by Defensor, Provincial Government department heads and employees, and regional heads and personnel from DILG line agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine National Police.

After the mass, Defensor, Board Member Jett Rojas (Fifth District) and DILG regional director Evelyn Trompeta delivered messages about their experiences working with Robredo.

Defensor said he and Robredo share a number of things: “It’s about good governance, fairness, public accountability, transparency, and sacrifice when you are in public service.”

A Piper Seneca plane that carried Robredo, his aide Senior Inspector June Paolo Abrazado, Captain Jessup Bahinting and his co-pilot Nepalese Kshitiz Chand crashed off Masbate last August 18, 2012. Abrazado survived the tragic accident. (ECG/PR)