MANILA-- President Benigno Aquino III and members of the Liberty Party paid tribute to the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo during the memorial service Saturday evening at the Kalayaan Hall of Malacañang.

Among Liberal Party stalwarts who delivered their eulogies for Robredo include Liberal Party president and Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas; Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Sen. Francisco Pangilinan, and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte.

“As we look around us, we see the blossom of all his hardwork,” Roxas said.

Singers Ogie Alcasid and Christian Bautista also performed during the memorial service.

There was a mass before the Liberal Party's memorial service, which was attended by Robredo's fellow Cabinet members, the Robredo family, friends and other officials.

On Friday morning, President Aquino led the arrival honors for Robredo when his remains arrived in Malacañang. The Aquino administration has prepared a state funeral for Secretary Robredo, an arrangement welcomed by his family.

A state funeral entails the fullest honors rendered to the deceased including military honors.

Also on Friday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and its attached agencies, urban poor groups, and the Kaya Natin Movement held memorial services for Robredo in the afternoon.

Public viewing started Friday evening until Saturday at the Kalayaan Hall.

The body of the late secretary was brought back yesterday morning to Naga City with the Presidential Security Group rendering the departure honors.

Interment will be on Tuesday morning wherein President Aquino is expected to deliver a eulogy for the late secretary before the burial rites.

Robredo and two others died when the twin-engine, four-seater Piper Seneca plane carrying them en route to Naga City from Cebu City crashed off Masbate on August 18.

Robredo served as Naga City mayor for several terms before he was appointed as Interior and Local Government Secretary by President Aquino in 2010.*PNA

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