Miriam Defensor Santiago laid to rest

Hundreds of supporters showed up as former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was laid to rest Sunday afternoon at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.

She was buried beside her son Alexander Robert who died in 2003, at past 4:20 p.m., after the funeral blessing was delivered by the rector of the Immaculate Conception, Father Aris Sison.

She was also given a 21-gun salute.

Following the ceremony, white balloons and doves were released by her loved ones and supporters, and flower petals were released by a Philippine Air Force chopper.

Muling nagpaulan ng bulaklak ang Philippine Airforce para kay dating sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. | @divinereyes pic.twitter.com/B4zD3e7YYr

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 2, 2016

Her remains were brought to Marikina in a 60-car convoy from the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao in Quezon City, where the funeral Mass was held.

VIDEO: Paglalabas ng casket ni @senmiriam mula sa Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/ZDQi4Ndyf4

— Divine Reyes (@divinereyes) October 2, 2016

Fighter for the good

In his homily, Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani noted that Santiago was a fighter for good until the end, and never for evil.

"That was Miriam — the fighter for the good. And she would use only good means to fight evil because she did not want to side with evil," he said.

"That is why we are one with her. We know, like Miriam, that it is good that will win in the end, that victory of evil can be at most, temporary and indeed, can be very, very short, and even the most powerful of tyrants can be overthrown. That is why we can only use good, fair means in order to win our battles for the long," said Bacani.

The late senator succumbed to cancer on Thursday, September 29, while confined at the St. Luke's Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. She was 71.

She announced her battle with stage four lung cancer in 2014, when she expressed confidence of beating the disease.

"I am very excited. I said yes, I have cancer. Now, I am entering another dimension of human life. That has always been my attitude," she said then.

Having served all three branches of the government — judicial, executive, and legislative — Santiago was dubbed as the "Iron Lady of Asia" for her no-nonsense drive against graft and corruption.

"In a nation where many public officials are charged with, or suspected, of plunder, her honesty shines like a light in the darkness," her Senate biography read.

Santiago's wake was a sea of red during the past few days, as volunteers for her last election run said this was their way of paying tribute to the late lawmaker.

Santiago joined the presidential race — her third time to do so — for the May 9 elections, finishing fifth.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who won as the country's Chief Executive, paid his last respects to the late senator early Sunday. —ALG, GMA News