Arroyo to confer 'Lakandula' honors on publisher Soliven

For serving as an "icon of freedom," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will bestow upon Philippine Star publisher Maximo "Max" Soliven posthumous honors of Order of Lakandula. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye on Monday said the President gave the order from St. Luke's Medical Center, where she had been confined along with her husband First Gentleman Jose Migue Arroyo. "She will confer the Order of Lakandula posthumous award to Mr. Max Soliven," Bunye said in Filipino during an interview on dzBB radio. The Order of Lakandula is a political and civic honor for Filipinos who uphold Rajah Lakandula's ideals of courage, leadership and public service. Soliven passed away last Friday in Tokyo City, Japan after suffering from complications of double pneumonia. He was 77. In her statement on Soliven's death, Mrs Arroyo expressed her condolences for the passing of key figure in the Philippines' fight for democracy. "The nation is deeply saddened by the passage of an icon of freedom. The post-war march of Philippine democracy under a free press could not have been as vibrant without Max Soliven, who fought beside forces of enlightenment in the struggle against despotism and wrong," the President said. She added, "We grieve with his family and pray with the people for his eternal peace in palms of the Lord." -GMANews.TV