Tears and a shower of flowers from residents of the fifth district of Negros Occidental, and fireworks capped the wake of Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo Jr. at the St. Mary Magdalene Church in Hinigaran town as a hearse slowly carried his remains away shortly after midnight yesterday.

The congressman’s supporters lined both sides of the center aisle and showered his casket with white flowers and petals as his casket was carried out of the of the church at midnight as a lone female sang Mandy Moore’s “Only Hope”.

As the casket was placed in the waiting hearse in front of the Church, fireworks exploded in the sky.

His partner Grace Ibuna, daughter Dina Tantoco, other family members and supporters walked behind the hearse for half a kilometer as fifth district residents lined the road to bid farewell to their three-term congressman who died in London on January 26 after a long battle with cirrhosis of the liver.

He was 61.

The police placed the crowd at the church and at the side of the road at 2,000.

On reaching a bridge on the north end of Hinigaran’s main road, they boarded a caravan of about 40 cars that travelled 75 kilometer to the Bacolod Silay Airport. The remains of the solon departed for Manila on board a commercial flight with Ibuna at past 6 a.m. yesterday for the continuation his wake at the Arroyo ancestral home in La Vista, Quezon City.

His brother, former first gentleman Mike Arroyo, and sister Marilou Lesaca departed yesterday morning on a private plane.

The congressman’s wife Aleli Morales Arroyo and daughter Alelu left ahead Wednesday night.

Aleli said there will be a funeral mass for her husband at La Vista at 10 a.m. today to be attended by former president Gloria Arroyo, whom the court has allowed time out from hospital detention to attend.

His remains will then be buried at the Manila North Cemetery beside his mother.

Aleli said she will be there to accept the flag draped on her husband’s coffin when he is finally laid to rest.*CPG

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