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Saturday, August 06, 2005
Ex-presidential candidate Roco dies
MANILA -- Former senator Raul Roco, who ran but lost in last year's presidential elections, died Friday morning of prostate cancer. He was 64.
Roco succumbed to cardiac arrest, a complication brought about by his illness, at 9:15 a.m. at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City where he was confined for three weeks.
Bong, the former senator's brother, said Roco's body will be taken to the Sta. Maria Della Strada along Katipunan Ave. in Quezon City for a three-day wake and will be taken to Naga City, Camarines Sur where Roco would be laid to rest. Roco is from Naga City.
The Naga City Government is in a period of mourning.
Roco is survived by his wife Sonia, six children and four grandchildren.
Malacañang is saddened by the death of the former senator, which hailed Roco as a "true patriot and freedom fighter."
Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Roco's death is "a great loss for our nation."
"He was an exemplary lawyer, legislator and leader who inspired many with not just his words, but with his actions," Bunye said.
Malacañang is studying if there will be a declaration of flying the flags at half-staff in honor of Roco.
He also said previous disagreements or differences in views between Roco and the administration should be set aside, because it "is more than sufficient to give honor to the memory of a great man."
Roco had been diagnosed with prostate cancer since the 1990s. He was supposed to have recovered from it, but when he ran for the presidency last year, he withdrew from campaigning due to a relapse of the illness.
Former governor and presidential candidate Lito Osmeña, who supported Roco's presidential bid last year, said Roco was a "real asset."
"He was a good friend. He was well-prepared (for death) and a very religious man. I'm sure he will go straight to heaven," Osmeña told Sun.Star Cebu Friday.
Vic Dumon, the provincial coordinator for Cebu of Roco's Aksyon Demokratiko party in the 2004 elections, said that with Roco's death, the country lost one of its most brilliant minds.
"His last words to us was to fight for good governance whoever is the president," Domon said in a mobile phone interview, adding that his last talk with Roco was three weeks ago.
Cebu City officials also condoled with Roco's family.
"We lost so much with his passing because he was one of our best educators. He came to Cebu City often and made sure that teachers are in the classrooms and students did not have to pay compulsory contributions," City Schools Superintendent Leonilo Oliva said of Roco.
Roco also introduced numerous innovations in the public school education system during his term as education secretary, including the Basic Education Curriculum program, Oliva added.
In his news conference Friday, Mayor Tomas Osmeña also remembered Roco as one of the country's brightest senators.
"Mr. Roco had the potential to become a good president but he just did not have the organizational skills to put it together," he said.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama also felt the country lost a good educator and lawyer and a good leader.
Roco was born on Oct. 26, 1941 in Naga City in Camarines Sur to Sulpicio Azuela Roco, a farmer, and Rosario Orlanda Sagarbarria, a public school teacher.
He finished his elementary education at the age of 10 and high school at 14 at the Naga Parochial School. He graduated magna cum laude from San Beda College with a degree of Bachelor of Arts.
He completed his law degree, also at San Beda College, and took up his post-graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the US.
Roco was the youngest president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP).
The youngest Bicolano delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, Roco also became president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and worked with the legal staff of then senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr.
Roco served as congressman of the second district of Camarines Sur from 1987 to 1992 and senator from 1992 to 2001.
He ran but lost to deposed president Joseph Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections. As senator, he served as one of the judges during Estrada's impeachment trial in 2000.
When Estrada was ousted by a popular uprising in 2001, President Arroyo appointed Roco as education of secretary, a post he held for almost two years.
In 2004, Roco ran but lost again in the presidential elections.
He was last seen in public when allegations of cheating in last year's presidential elections against President Arroyo broke out last May. He was one of those who called for the President's resignation. (Sunnex)/LCR/AIV
(August 6, 2005 issue)
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