|
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Poe buried at daybreak; justice chief bares plot
By Jonathan F. Fernandez
MANILA -- Tens of thousands of people filled the streets Wednesday for the funeral of actor-turned-presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., as a government official revealed a plot to exploit the movie icon's death to topple the Arroyo administration.
Authorities had warned mourners not to turn the event into an anti-government rally as some of Poe's followers vented their anger at President Arroyo, who defeated Poe in a tight race that the actor and his supporters charged was fraudulent.
Poe, 65, died of a stroke last week.
The massive funeral procession, led by a horse-drawn hearse with Poe's coffin, snaked its way along a 5-kilometer long stretch through the capital's major thoroughfares to the Manila North Cemetery, where his widow, actress Susan Roces, leaned over the body for the last time and wiped away tears as the actor was lowered into the ground.
Crowds shouted Poe's name and waved posters of the man who came to symbolize the aspirations of this country's poor.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales Sr. said Wednesday authorities had "credible intelligence" of an "evolving conspiracy" to turn the procession into an anti-government rally and warned against violence.
Funeral peaceful
Police said the funeral went peacefully.
Thousands joined the funeral march and thousands more poured out on the streets where the horse-drawn carriage bearing Poe's casket passed by to bid him farewell.
It took five hours for Poe's coffin to travel the 6.5-kilometer route from the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City to the Manila North Cemetery in Manila.
Police assessed the burial as peaceful except for an isolated incident at the cemetery where some Poe supporters got hurt when they were crushed by the massive crowd.
No less than 1,500 policemen and soldiers secured the Santo Domingo Church, the route taken during the funeral march and the burial site.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Avelino Razon Jr. commended his men, soldiers and the volunteer marshals tasked to maintain peace and order during the funeral for a job well done.
President Arroyo likewise saluted the police and military to helping keep the peace during the funeral and for securing Malacaņang presidential palace.
Plot
Gonzales, nevertheless, said government agencies conducting routine electronic intelligence surveillance had uncovered a plot to exploit Poe's death to topple the Arroyo government.
The plot, according to Gonzales, reportedly involved an active colonel in the military and the spokesman of the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
He was evasive on details of the so-called plot, but said government managed to snip a part of the information by eavesdropping on a satellite mobile phone apparently being used by NPA spokesman Rogelio "Ka Roger" Rosales.
Gonzalez said the monitored conversation occurred at 5:10 a.m. Wednesday and also involved an actor, whom he declined to identify.
Susan Tagle, spokesperson of the Poe family, described reports of a plot as an "overreaction", adding the movie actor's family would not allow such a thing to happen.
The countdown for the carrying out of the plot starts from the burial up to February 25, said Gonzales.
"Government will not interfere, and we respect the freedom of the people to speak, we also condole with the bereaved," Gonzalez said but that "violence will not be tolerated."
Victory stolen
During necrological rites for Poe hours earlier, former President Joseph Estrada, another actor and Poe's close friend who was ousted in massive anti-corruption rallies in 2001, addressed a packed Santo Domingo Church, where Poe's body was displayed in a glass-covered coffin.
"I was robbed of my position as president and FPJ was robbed of his victory as president," he said, referring to Poe by his nickname.
Gonzales had said he personally felt Estrada's remarks made late Tuesday were seditious but that they will not be pressing charges.
Estrada had taken a dig at Arroyo, a US-educated economist, saying, "We shared the same belief that a college degree, a master's or Ph.D. in economics, would not solve the basic problems of the country if you don't have a heart and feeling for the majority of Filipinos."
Poe had hoped to get elected as Estrada did, by merging his movie stardom with promises of a better life for the legions of disenfranchised.
Estrada, now on trial for the capital offense of plunder, was allowed out of detention Tuesday to visit his sick mother and attend Poe's wake.
But a court barred him from the funeral, citing security concerns.
He asked Poe supporters to continue the fight for the truth.
Eulogies
Poe's widow Susan Roces (Jesusa Sonora-Poe) thanked all the people who supported them from the time when her husband was in a coma at the St. Luke's Medical Center until his burial.
She promised that she will continue helping the less fortunate as her husband did.
Before he died, Poe had prepared a musical that was supposed to be launched in February.
Among the many people who delivered eulogies during the necrological service that started Tuesday night and ended before dawn Wednesday included Richard Gomez, Eddie Garcia, Boots Anson-Roa, movie directors Joel Lamangan and Pablo Gomez, Dolphy and Tinay Manahan, Poe's make-up artist for four decades.
Janno Gibbs, Rico J. Puno, Dulce, Pilita Corales and Cris Villonco sang some of Poe's favorite songs like "Kamusta Ka", "Saan Ka Man Naroroon", "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" and "Gaano Kita Kamahal".
Multi-awarded singer Nonoy Zuniga sang Estrada's version of "Doon Lang" for Poe.
Bishop Teodoro Bacani officiated the funeral mass for Poe around 3 a.m.
After the mass, Roces opened the casket and hugged her husband.
Funeral march
At 4:10 a.m., Poe's body was brought out of the church but it got stalled in the church's compound for almost an hour because his widow asked that they wait for sunrise before beginning the funeral parade at 5 a.m.
The actor's casket was wrapped in a white cloth while supporters threw white flowers on Poe's coffin, all of which symbolize peace.
The funeral procession passed through Quezon Avenue, Espaņa Avenue, Lacson Avenue and Dimasalang Street before reaching the cemetery.
The burial rites started with the singing of national anthem of Father Sonny Ramirez.
Roces blessed her husband's coffin.
Poe's casket was opened for Roces and other members of the Poe family to take a last look at the actor.
A 21-gun salute was conducted before Poe's coffin was interred in his tomb.
The actor was buried at 9:30 a.m. beside his father Fernando Sr., mother Bessie Kelly and brother Andy at the Manila North Cemetery.
Good job
Arroyo, meanwhile, said she was happy with the peaceful turnout of Poe's funeral march and burial and commended the police and military for going a good job.
Her spokesman Ignacio Bunye said they were grateful to Poe's family, fans and supporters for cooperating with authorities and doing their share in keeping the burial ceremonies in order.
"FPJ's dream and vision for the nation will never be forgotten as we join hands with his supporters in vigorously pushing for the welfare and improvement of lives of the Filipino people, particularly the poor," Bunye said.
Arroyo also thanked the policemen and soldiers who guarded the Malacaņang compound while the funeral march and burial of Poe was in progress.
Arroyo went to the respective areas of the policemen and soldiers and expressed her gratitude. (With additional report from JMR)
(December 23, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
