PRESIDENT Duterte wanted to visit the wake of the former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III last week but the remains have been taken to the Aquino home in Quezon City by the time Duterte finished his activities, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.
Aquino died on Thursday morning from renal disease secondary to diabetes.
His remains were brought straight from the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City to the Heritage Park in Taguig City, then brought the following day to the Church of the Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. From Ateneo, his remains were brought to the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City on Saturday. The remains were never brought to the family home on Times Street in Quezon City.
Roque also said he does not know why the President did not visit the wake at at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City but said it may be due to the pandemic. He said the President may also be trying to avoid attracting crowds because of the pandemic.
“Hindi ko na po alam kung bakit. It could be because it’s pandemic and we are trying to limit the numbers and, of course, the presence of the president would encourage crowds (I do not know why. It could be because it’s pandemic and we are trying to limit the numbers and, of course, the presence of the president would encourage crowds),” he said.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana were among Duterte officials who visited the wake at the Ateneo on Friday. Duterte attended an event at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City also on Friday.
Roque said Duterte planned to visit the wake last Thursday and had even ended his meeting with the officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) about the proposed extension of the transition period for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) government at 11 p.m.
He said the President, however, learned that the urn containing Aquino’s ashes had been taken to the family home on Times Street.
Roque said Duterte, instead of visiting, had a personal conversation with members of the Aquino family and offered to bestow honors that can be given to a former president.
“But of course, the Palace had to bow to the wishes of the family for a more subdued ceremony. Although, as everyone saw, he was accorded full military honors (befitting) a president,” he said adding that Duterte considered his predecessor as “a friend, not a close friend, but a friend.”
The Department of Health scored lawyer Larry Gadon over his controversial statement claiming Aquino had HIV and which supposedly may have caused his death.
Last Thursday, Gadon said in a radio program of DWIZ that a “friend” informed him Aquino had HIV. A support group for people living with HIV and AIDS has condemned him and said it is considering filing criminal and disbarment raps.
The DOH, in a statement, said it is illegal for anyone to disclose in public the HIV status of anyone under Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act.
“We would like to warn and remind everyone that disclosure of confidential information, such as HIV status, is illegal, and they can be charged in accordance with law,” said the DOH.
“Violators are liable to criminal, administrative, and civil penalties,” it added.
The health department said the law guarantees the confidentiality and privacy of any individual undergoing the entirety of the HIV testing and treatment process.
“It shall be unlawful to disclose, without written consent, information that a person has AIDS, has undergone HIV-related test, has HIV infection, or HIV-related illnesses, or has been exposed to HIV,” said the DOH.
Under the law, violators of the rule on confidentiality shall, upon conviction, suffer the penalty of six months to two years of imprisonment, and/or a fine of P50,000 to P150,000 at the discretion of the court.
This is without prejudice to any administrative sanction or civil suit that may be bought against persons, who violated confidentiality. — With Gerard Naval
