‘Silent cries’ greet Duterte

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday evening visited the wake of several victims of the Iloilo Strait tragedy in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Pres. Duterte arrived at t the Chapel of the Hills Gegato Abecia Funeral Homes in Barangay Balabago around 6:35 p.m.

He was accompanied by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Martin Lloyd Dino, and Sec. Rolando Joselito Bautista of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Duterte was supposed to pay his respects first at the wake of other victims at the Guimaras Provincial Gymnasium in Jordan, Guimaras but it was scuttled due to bad weather.

The president’s party attempted to reach Guimaras by chopper but they turned back to the Iloilo airport more or less 10 minutes after taking off.

At the Iloilo City funeral parlor, 13 coffins greeted Pres. Duterte and his party.

There was no wailing; only stifled sobs from the grieving families of the victims.

Duterte first spoke to Ma. Nieves Grandeza, who lost all of her nine companions in the tragedy.

Grandeza, 28, who hails from Barangay San Miguel, Buenavista, Guimaras, lost her fiancé, Romeo Baguio, Jr., 29, and their 3-year-old son Jay Arvien Baguio.

The incident also took the lives of Romeo Jr.’s seven relatives including his parents Angelina Baguio, 54, and Romeo Baguio Sr., 56; brother Rommel Baguio, 31, and his wife Danilyn Baguio, 27, and their son, Danelle Baguio, 3; and his mother’s brother Bernardo Janson, 56, and grandson, Jared Janson.

The Baguio and Janson families were from Cebu and went to Guimaras to formally ask Ma. Nieves’ hand.

They were supposed to go back to Cebu when the incident happened.

Prior to meeting Duterte, Ma. Nieves repeatedly said there was no joy in being called a survivor.

Apart from losing her son and fiancé, she claimed she had been blamed for the death of her fiancé’s relatives.

She said she didn’t understand why she had to live and they had to die.

At one point, Duterte paused in going through with the coffins, which are all covered, and talked with his staff.  He was heard asking about the Philippine Coast Guard.

Later on, he talked to Marcelino Java, Jr. who lost his wife, 54-year old Adora Java, and two grandchildren Jhaeron Mars Salanatin, 14, and Jhen Lloyd Salanatin, 9.

His two other grandchild Jan Christian Java, 11, and their cousin Jairus James Alejado, 2, survived the incident.

They reportedly watched the mountain bike race of the Salanatin kids’ father and to unwind in Guimaras when the incident happened.

The remains of Lemmy Rombla, 58, was laid in the hall.

The families of five teachers who perished in the tragedy were also present.

Four of them – Ma. Zeny Anilao, Lynlyn Janolino, Ivy Grace Labordo, and Maria Emilie Legarda – were teachers of Lambunao National High School in Lambunao, Iloilo.

The other fatality was George Buenavista of Agcuyawan Kalsada Elem. School in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

The five teachers had just processed the requirement for the comprehensive examination for their master’s degree at the Guimaras State University when they sailed back to Iloilo.

Jaquelyn Alferez, Eden Perales, and Andrew Valenzuela, who were teaching at a school in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, also died in the mishaps.

Both Duterte and Go extended financial assistance to the bereaved families, on top of what was given by the DSWD and the local government of Iloilo City and province of Guimaras.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said he discussed with the President the possibility of adding air assets that would be stationed in Iloilo.

He also suggested if vessels and equipment for search and rescue for the Philippine Coast Guard could be augmented.

When asked if Pres. Duterte had some words to the PCG, “he said that this is not time to point any finger at anyone.”

Instead, Duterte enjoined them to look after the victims and their families.