Noynoy's firing buddies recall last meetup, conversation with him

Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was able to seek solace at the firing range despite his health condition, a Balitanghali report said Friday, citing his friends and shooting buddies.

The report said Aquino's firing buddies surprised him with a cake on his 61st birthday last February.

Former Bureau of Internal Revenue Kim Henares said she was able to talk to Aquino a few days before he died on Thursday due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.

“Nagpabili siya ng bala, around a month, three weeks ago, tapos last week, nagpapatanong siya tungkol sa isang bala, kung magkano ‘yun. Kaya I felt that he was getting better and that we are going to start shooting again,” she said.

(He asked me to buy a bullet, around a month, three weeks ago. And then last week, he inquired about a particular bullet, about how much it cost. So I felt that he was getting better and that we are going to start shooting again.)

Meanwhile, retired Brigadier General Alvin Francis Javier said he received text messages from Aquino on April 29 informing him that he is undergoing dialysis three times a week.

Javier said he asked Aquino to get better so they could meet at the firing range again soon. The former leader died less than a month later. —Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK, GMA News