The Armed Forces of the Philippines former commander-in-chief, Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, was laid to rest at about 8 p.m. last night with full military honors, but Philippine flags will continue to be flown at half-mast in all military camps of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in Western Visayas for one month.

Capt. Mark Andrew Posadas, 3rd ID Information Officer, said last night that it is a protocol in the AFP that Philippine flags will be flown at half-mast for a month, to give honors to former heads of state.

Gen. Victor Ibrado led battalion-sized troops from the armed services of the AFP in giving full military honors last night to the late President Aquino.

At the Manila Cathedral, policemen also served as honor guards, with PNP generals serving as pallbearers.  

Honor guards fired a 21-gun salute in honor of the former president, and buglers played “Taps”, while Ibrado turned over the Philippine flag that had draped Aquino’s coffin to Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Two Air Force Huey helicopters dropped yellow and white flowers on the funeral cortege of President Aquino, on its way to the Manila Memorial Park.

The giving of highest military honors to Mrs. Aquino started on Saturday, hours after the announcement of her death, with the firing of 105mm howitzers at 30-minute intervals at key military camps in Metro Manila.

Ibrado, who used to be assigned to the Presidential Security Group while Aquino was still president, said her presidency was a “shining moment” in the history of the AFP when the military regained its moral footing.

He said the AFP is indebted to her, for it was under her administration that the military institution started a long process of self-review and assessment.

“These self-examinations eventually galvanized the military organization to initiate the difficult process of post-Martial Law reforms, and, in turn, solidified the entire AFP to strictly follow the chain of command, and the constitutional precept of the supremacy of civilian authority at all times,” Ibrado added.

President Aquino survived seven coup attempts, staged by former military and Constabulary officers, who were also key players in the 1986 EDSA revolution.*GPB

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