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President’s sister Kris Aquino visits slain SAF men’s wake


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(Updated 7:36 a.m.) Hours before President Benigno Aquino III is to pay his respects to more than 40 Special Action Force police personnel killed in a brutal firefight in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last weekend, presidential sister Kris Aquino showed up at the wake.
 
Before dawn Friday, Kris went to the wake in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City where she paid respects to the fallen men, GMA News' Vonne Aquino reported.
 
A photo posted on Twitter by GMA's Aquino showed Kris talking with some SAF personnel and kin of the victims.

 
Kris said she also lost a loved one in a violent way and offered sympathy and prayers. 

 
She referred to her father, the late former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., who was brutally gunned down at the Manila International Airport in 1983.
 
Her father's death triggered protests that eventually led to the 1986 EDSA Revolution that ousted then strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
 
"(W)e have so much respect for the sacrifice na binigay ng mahal nila sa buhay at 'yun lang, 'yun lang ang dahilan," Kris said.

 
Her brother, President Benigno Aquino III, had been criticized for not showing up at the arrival of the slain SAF men's remains on Thursday.
 
GMA News' Aquino also cited sources who said Kris talked to the families of the slain SAF members.
 
‘Damage control’
 
But some netizens took to Twitter to question the motive behind Kris' visit, some calling it damage control.

 
Another said it did not answer the question of where President Aquino was when he was most needed.

 
The remains of the SAF men were brought to Camp Bagong Diwa before midnight.

 
Metro Manila police chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said the public viewing of the remains would be until 2:30 a.m. Friday, radio dzBB's Luisito Santos reported.



 — Joel Locsin/ELR/KG, GMA News