In handcuffs and escorted by police, Leodegreco “Greco” Sanchez joined about 800 people in the pouring rain to pay their last respects to his father, Cebu Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr.
Greco arrived in Cebu at 8:40 a.m yesterday, days after he secured a court order to attend the burial rites of his father at the Mactan Memorial Garden in Lapu-Lapu City.
The vice governor died of stage four lung cancer last April 29.
But Greco, who promised his father that he will complete his rehabilitation, received renewed assurance of his family’s love and support.
“Dad loves you very much… treasure that…” Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero told her brother in her speech.
The late vice governor’s casket was brought out of the Crystal Palace Chapel of Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in barangay Lahug, Cebu City at 11:30 am.
It was then placed in a flatbed four-wheeler truck adorned with yellow and white flowers.
Four honor guards of the 511th Naval Reserve Squadron of the Philippine Navy guarded Sanchez’ coffin.
The funeral procession made a short stop in front of his radio station, Bantay Radyo, loacted along Escario Street, Cebu City.
It went on to the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds where some Capitol officials and employees offered their prayers for the eternal repose of Sanchez’ soul.
At 1 p.m, a requiem mass was held at the Redemptorist Church.
In his homily, Msgr. Esteban Binghay said while Sanchez’s death brings “sorrow and great pain” to his family and friends, he has gone ahead of everyone to a special place.
“We will follow you anyway in God’s time,” said Binghay, episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu.
In her message, Sanchez’s daughter Gerlyda Sanchez-Splitter described her father as a “fighter” who battled his lung cancer even when bedridden in his last days.
But she said she was heartbroken when her father told her that he found it hard to fight it off.
“Gikapoy naman ko (I am growing tired) Gerl,” she quoted him as saying.
Gerly also lamented the timing of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision upholding the election protest filed against her father by businessman Glenn Soco.
Gerly said she is at least grateful that her father will no longer suffer.
“No more pain… No more people to hurt you…” she said.
After the mass, the funeral procession passed through Mandaue City towards Lapu-Lapu City where his tomb is located.
Before his burial, Gigi thanked their mother whom she credited for being strong in asking her children to accept their father’s fate.
“To my mom- she is stronger than is expected. She said ‘Greg lets submit to the will of God’ with tears in her eyes… it was difficult to say but we had to let daddy go,” Gigi said.
Gerly thanked her father’s political allies who stuck with him.
Gigi in particular thanked Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district and his wife Councilor Margot Osmeña, Liberal Party (LP) Cebu chairman Hilario Davide III and Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal for their support.
Gigi asked Davide to continue supporting her father’s trans-axial highway project and “turn it into reality.”
“He (Sanchez) has believed that public service need not be in front of the camera… His principle was to teach people how to fish to have sustained livelihood,” she said.
“Dad believes that silence is not an option. He had fought corruption and against incurably corrupt officials,” Gigi added. In his message, Greco extolled his father’s virtues.
“He is a very patient man and had proclaimed the word of the Lord…I thanked the people who grieved with us and gave strength to our family,” he said in Cebuano.
A 21-gun salute was conducted by members of the Philippine Navy for Sanchez, a commander of the 511th Naval Reserve Squadron.
Among the government officials who showed up during the funeral rites were Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu’s 1st district, Rep. Benhur Salimbangon of Cebu’s 4th district, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and former Supreme Court chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. and his son Hilario “Junjun” Davide III.
Businessman and Sanchez’s consultant Cris Saavedra also paid tribute to Sanchez, saying Cebuanos should remember him as a “decent and simple man.”