The successor of the late Secretary Jesse Robredo to the Department of Interior and Local Government should be a person just like him, who is dedicated to the job, honest, and with passion for public service, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said.

Marañon and Fr. Ernie Larida, Social Action Director of the Diocese of Bacolod, agreed that Robredo is a big loss to the country, especially to the DILG.

He had done a lot at the DILG without fanfare, Marañon said.

Larida said Robredo showed transparency at the DILG.

President Benigno Aquino III has named Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa as the acting DILG chief, to ensure continuity of its services to public.

Robredo and his two pilots perished in a plane crash off the coast of Masbate Saturday after reprtedly encountered engine trouble. His body was recovered Tuesday while the rescuers also retrieved the body of Jessup Bahinting at the crash site.

Jun Abrasado, Robredo’s aide-de-camp, was the sole survivor of the crash.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the body of Bahinting was recovered from the right side of the cockpit after the retrieval team managed to drag the aircraft to a depth of 21 to 25 meters.

The body of Bahinting’s co-pilot, Nepalese , Kshitiz Chand, has yet to be recovered from the sunken fuselage.

The Philippine flag in all government installations in Negros Occidental flew at half mast since Tuesday, in compliance with the order of President Aquino.

Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez also sponsored House Resolution 2690, expressing condolences of the House of Representatives for the demise of Robredo.* GPB

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