Nation in 'days of mourning' for Robredo

President Benigno Aquino III led the country in mourning for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo as he proclaimed “National Days of Mourning” until Robredo’s internment.

Thorough Proclamation No. 460 s. 2012, the President ordered all government offices worldwide to fly the flag at half-mast for six days in honor of the six-term Naga City Mayor.

“As provided for by law, for a period of six (6) days, the national flag shall be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset in all government buildings and installations in the Philippines and in our posts abroad,” the President said in the proclamation.

The Department of Education had earlier announced that all flags in public schools and its offices will be flown at half-mast.

Furthermore, the Palace created a committee that will handle Robredo’s state funeral.

Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas confimred on Tuesday morning that Robredo had died in Staturday's plane crash.

He said the DILG Secretary’s body was found inside the crashed plane, 800 meters off Masbate’s shore and 180 feet below the sea surface.

Retrieval operations for the bodies of pilot Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot Kshitiz Chand had been suspended on Tuesday afternoon, but will resume on Wednesday.

Robredo's aide, Senior Inspector Jun Abrasado, was the lone survivor of the plane crash.

The government website also set up a tribute page in its Official Gazette for Robredo. The page features messages gratitude and sympathy for the late secretary and his family. — DVM, GMA News

article source: gmanetwork.com

Flags in Manila, police camps fly at half-mast for Jesse Robredo

Philippine flags at all city government offices and schools in Manila were ordered flown at half-mast after the death of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was confirmed on Tuesday.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said he gave the order upon learning that Robredo’s body had been found and retrieved from the fuselage of a plane that crashed off Masbate last Saturday.

“I ordered all city government offices and schools to display the Philippine flag at half-mast to mark the passing of DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo,” Lim said on his Twitter account.

As Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Robredo supervised the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

At Camp Crame, PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said police camps nationwide have been ordered to fly the Philippine flag at half-mast to mourn the death of Robredo.

Bartolome said this is a gesture of "our great respect to a great man and a good leader."

"All PNP camps are hoisting the national colors at half mast as an expression of our great respect to a great man and a good leader who steered the DILG-PNP family through the straight and narrow path of proper public service," Bartolome said in a statement posted on the PNP's Twitter account.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has likewise followed suit in honoring Robredo.

"I have already directed that the flag in the DOJ premises be on half mast," De Lima said.

Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas confirmed on Tuesday that Robredo's body was found at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, 800 meters from the shore off Masbate.

In a press briefing, Roxas said Robredo’s body was found at a depth of 180 feet inside the fuselage of the small Piper plane that carried him and three others on Saturday.

"'Yung unang sumabak na mga tech divers 'yung mga puti na nakita natin kahapon, si Matt at ang kanyang team na dalawang babae. At 8:15, kumpirmado na na 'yung isa sa mga katawan ay 'yung kay Sec. Jess Robredo," Roxas said.

Hours before Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II confirmed Robredo’s body had been found, Lim led activities marking the 29th death anniversary of former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., father of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III. - VVP/RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com