Noynoy Aquino's ashes arrive at Ateneo QC campus for public viewing

The urn containing the ashes of the late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III was brought to the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City on Friday morning, according to a Super Radyo dzBB report.

The urn was placed inside the Church of the Gesu where a public viewing will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

It only took 12 minutes for the urn to reach the Ateneo campus from Green Meadows Subdivision, also in Quezon City, the report said.

Aquino completed grade school in Ateneo in (1973, high school in 1977, and his Bachelor's Degree in Economics in 1981. 

Honor rites were conducted at the church prior to the public viewing.

Only 100 people per batch were allowed to enter the church and approach the urn to maintain crowd control.

The Aquino family has earlier urged those who will attend the public viewing to follow health protocols and social distancing that will be implemented by the university in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In adherence to the regulations of the IATF for COVID-19, the Aquino family enjoins everyone who intends to personally pay their last respects to the former President, to follow the health protocols and social distancing measures that will be implemented by the Ateneo de Manila University in coordination with the authorities," according to the official bulletin.

The country's 15th president, Aquino, 61, died on Thursday morning. His remains were cremated on the same day and would be buried on Saturday at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

According to a statement read by his sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada on Thursday afternoon at Heritage Park, Aquino was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.

Before holding the highest position in the Philippines in 2010, Aquino served in the Legislative department. He represented Tarlac’s second district in the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, after which he ran for senator and served in the Upper House from 2007 to 2010.

Aquino is the only son of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and the late President Corazon Aquino. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News