Army Special Forces Regiment, Korean War veteran pay tribute to FVR

Active and retired military officers on Saturday paid tribute to their former commander-in-chief, Fidel V. Ramos, who died this week at the age of 94.

The former president held a number of positions during his time in the military, including the commander of the Special Forces Regiment, which was founded in 1962.

“The whole Special Forces family will forever be indebted to you. Rest assured that we will uphold the finest tradition of the Special Forces,” Special Forces Regiment commander Colonel Ferdinand Napuli said in a report by GMA News' Jonathan Andal on "24 Oras Weekend."

At the wake, several Special Forces veterans and active personnel sang the AFP Special Forces anthem.

“True kaibigan, he will tell you what is wrong but he will never embarrass you,” retired Major General Jose Magno, an alumnus of the Special Forces Regiment, said.

“I call him the peace warrior. He was seeking peace only with the CPP-NPA, the MNLF, and I think even the RAM. And if you will remember, siya ang nagpatahimik kay (MNLF founder) Nur Misuari,” former senator and military chief Rodolfo Biazon said.

Ramos' fellow Korean War veteran, Augusto Flores, remembered how the former leader helped him get promoted from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel after he left the military.

“At 'yan po ang personal na gratitude na tinatanaw ko kay President FVR. At noong huling magkita kami, I reminded him, ang sabi lang niya sa akin. ‘Well anyway, you deserve it,’” Flores said.

(That is the personal gratitude I have towards FVR. And the last time we met, I reminded him of what he said to me: "Well anyway, you deserve it.")

The Mindanao Development Authority, meanwhile, recognized Ramos' contributions to the region's development.

“Si President Ramos ang unang unang presidente na todo todong bigay na suporta sa Mindanao. During his time lumaki ang budget sa Mindanao, during his time maraming development project na nangyari. During his time nagkaroon ng Office of the President for Mindanao,” MinDA Chairperson Mabel Sunga Acosta said.

(He was the first president who gave much support to Mindanao. During his time, the budget for Mindanao increased. During his time, many development projects were implemented. During his time, there was an Office of the President for Mindanao.)

Several senators and former President Joseph Estrada also attended the wake.

Malacañang said Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, would be given a state funeral on August 9.

He passed away on July 31. —Richa Noriega/VBL, GMA News