Arroyo sobs at Mass for chopper crash victims

MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sobbed anew Wednesday night over the loss of eight Palace aides in a helicopter crash in northern Luzon last Holy Week, this time during a “pasiyam" Mass in Malacañang. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that while the Palace is trying to "move on," Mrs. Arroyo was still "really affected" over the loss of the eight. "She’s really affected talaga. Iyak nang iyak si Pangulo. Kagabi nagmisa si Cardinal Vidal sa Malacañang, pasiyam, di napigilan ni Pangulo ang paghikbi [She’s really affected, she was crying. Last night, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said a ‘pasiyam’ Mass in the Palace. She could not stop sobbing]," Remonde said in an interview on dzXL radio Thursday. He said Mrs. Arroyo particularly sobbed during a slideshow presentation of the lives of the eight who perished in the crash. Killed in the crash were Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Undersecretary Marilou Frostrom, Brig. Gen. Carlos Clet, PMS assistant director Perlita Bandayanon, pilot Maj. Rolando Sacatani, co-pilot Capt. Alvin Alegata, Clet’s aide Quarter Master 3rd Class Demy Reyno, and crewman Sgt. Roe Gem Perez. On the other hand, Remonde said Clet, the last of the fatalities to be laid to rest, was to be buried Thursday. A military statement said Clet was to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Clet was a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1980. "We have to pick up the pieces and move on tapos [then] serve our people," he said. Mrs. Arroyo had been affected over the deaths of the eight, saying at a necrological rite in Malacañang last week that they were very close to her. Last Easter Sunday, PMS head Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said at a tribute to Capadocia that Mrs. Arroyo had wept bitterly when she learned the remains of seven of the eight victims were recovered. "She could barely stand up nung nalamang seven bodies were found. For the first time nakita ko bumuhos na, hagulgol na [She could barely stand up when we got reports of seven bodies being found. For the first time I saw her cry her heart out]," Esperon recalled. - GMANews.TV