Catajan: For the love of Jocap

IN 2009, as the Cordilleras was bracing itself for a visit by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the mountains claimed a veteran journalist, public servant and good friend.

This is a tribute to Jose Capadocia, whom we have lost to life 7 years ago around this time, where he hogged the news and brought the President to her knees in grief.

This tribute is for JoCap... because we will never forget...we live in hope that the country you died for will be worth it.

Morning! Morning!

The phrase coined in years ago by Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia during a cold News Year’s Day Sagada presidential trip with members of the Baguio media in tow, six years ago.

Icy cold tap water and a rough road trip was enough to deaden the senses of the covering team but surprisingly Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia or “Tata Jo” was his usual funnily stern self, making us laugh despite the back and butt pains from the 8 hour journey with his deadpan expression and deep “Morning, morning!” on the day of the coverage.

After that trip every time the president was in Baguio he would greet us with a jolly “Morning, morning! His way of making us feel special, that we shared a secret, when other reporters would ask what it meant, he would say “Di niyo alam yun, para sa mga taga Baguio lang yan.”

I meet Jocap at the CJH CAP convention center in 2004 back when I had my small Kodak EasyShare camera and was grappling for space to take a photo of the president, he stared me straight in the face and led me to the front of the line, saying I should crouch when he signals, then he winked.

I didn’t get clear shots that day but I gained a friend.

When the news of the missing chopper broke, our media team was in Bontoc Mountain Province getting ready to leave early the next morning to met Jocap and cover the president at Banaue, Ifugao.

We were hoping against hope that Tata Jo was not there.

Past midnight, when I heard my bunkmate report Tata Jo was on board; I couldn’t sleep but didn’t want to talk, nor think of scenarios.

The pain and the stress we experienced while covering the tragedy is inexplicable, every update weakened our hearts.

The drama of the frantic search for the missing presidential helicopter ended with the chief executive breaking down in tears as she sent off the 7 coffins of her closest staff.

The staff of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was declared missing after taking off from Baguio City en route to Banuae, Ifugao to conduct an ocular inspection for the President’s supposed visit were board the Bell 412 aircraft.

Tata Jo with Presidential Appointments Secretary Marilou Frostrom, Senior Military Aide to the President Brigadier General Carlos Clet, Presidential Management Staff Asst. Director Perlita Bandayanon with pilot Major Rolando Sacatani, co-pilot Captain Alvin Alegata, Clet’s aide Quarter Master 3rd Class Demelyn Reyno, and crewman Sergeant Rohegem Perez all perished.

The wreckage of the presidential helicopter was found in Tinoc, Ifugao, while flying in foul weather, Chief management staff, Hermogenes Esperon reported with his voice almost breaking that their bodies were charred and dismembered.

President Arroyo conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit on the eight victims of the ill-fated presidential chopper, the award was meant to formally recognize the victims’ dedication “to serve the Presidency and the Republic far beyond the call of duty."

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