Rep. Ignacio Arroyo’s body is expected to arrive at the Bacolod-Silay Airport at 6 p.m. today accompanied by his brother, former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, his wife Aleli Arroyo, and partner Grace Ibuna.

Also expected to accompany the body of the late fifth district congressman for a two-day wake to be held at the St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Hinigaran, are Arroyo’s daughters, his sister, former Kasangga Rep.Marilou Arroyo, and nephews Rep. Mikey Arroyo (Ang Galing Pinoy party-list) and Rep. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo (Camarines Sur, 2nd District).

Arroyo died in London after a long battle with cirrhosis of the liver on Jan 26. He was 61. He was on his third term as congressman of the fifth district of Negros Occidental having been elected in 2004.

A mass and necrological service is set for Arroyo at the House of Representatives this morning, before to his body is flown to Negros Occidental.

Negros Occidental officials and allies of Arroyo in the fifth district are expected to be at the airport for the arrival of his remains.

Friends and supporters will then join a caravan that will accompany the congressman’s remains to Hinigaran.

The hearse carrying his remains will be met by children and residents of the fifth district carrying candles and torches starting from Barangay Miranda in Hinigaran all the way to the church where the wake will be held, Board Member Melvin Ibañez said yesterday.

A liturgical service will be held at the church on the arrival of the body, he added.

Fr. Greg Patiño, Hinigaran parish priest, said that on Tuesday, a regular mass will be held on 6 a.m., followed by a necrological service arranged by the Department of Education from 2 to 5 p.m. and a concelebrated mass at 6 p.m.

On Wednesday, a regular mass will be held at 6 a.m. and another at 6 p.m. to be attended by the officials of the fifth district of Negros Occidental.

At 3 a.m. Thursday, send-off rites will be held that will include a burst of firecrackers, Patiño said, and the remains will be brought back to the Bacolod Silay Airport to be flown back to Manila for the wake to resume at the Arroyo ancestral home in La Vista.

The congressman will be laid to rest beside his mother, Lourdes Tuason-Arroyo, at the family mausoleum at the North Cemetery Friday morning, Ibañez said.*CPG

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