Biazon honored in Senate for gallant stand for people, democracy

Senators on Monday paid tribute to the late senator and former military chief Rodolfo “Pong” Biazon who passed away last June 12 after battling pneumonia.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said delivering a eulogy to a great luminary like Biazon is such an honor, given the latter’s many years of dedicating his life in fighting battles for the country. 

“Today, we pay tribute to the life and accomplishment of a great leader who has left an indelible mark from the field in his battle dress uniform to wearing his barong in the halls of the Senate. His dedication to our nation's defense and the well-being of his constituents earned him the respect and admiration of all who knew him,” Legarda said.

“What irony as life presented a bittersweet synchronicity where our beloved senator breathed his last on Independence Day, a day that represents the values he lived and fought for throughout his life,” she added.

Legarda cited Biazon for having the distinction of being the first military general from the Philippine Marine Corps of the Philippine Navy to hold the position of chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the time of Corazon Aquino as president.

“He is admired for his dedication to selflessness and how he was able to gain the affection and trust of the people being a former soldier. He possessed a genuine love for our flag and had proven his steadfast commitment to upholding the integrity of our democratic institutions and safeguarding the freedom of our country on many accounts,” Legarda said.

Aside from being a military official, Biazon also served as senator from 1992 to 1995 and again in 1998 to 2010. Biazon was also Muntinlupa city representative from 2010 to 2016.

“I will never forget his keen interest in [the] National Disaster Risk Reduction Management through his interpellations. Even after more than two decades, this crucial legislation continues to hold relevance, and I owe its successful enactment to the late senator's principal sponsorship and endorsement which I co-sponsored, to support my climate change advocacy. [And] although there are many laws that can be attributed to his name, I would like to particularly highlight the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which I had the privilege of supporting as the principal sponsor,” she said.

“I will fondly remember him as a true officer and gentleman. This farewell is tinged with sadness as I bid goodbye to a valiant warrior and honorable individual who served this country with unwavering loyalty. He fought with all his might and has now completed his journey with grace,” she added.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who delivered a eulogy offsite since he was on a business trip in Washington, DC to meet American lawmakers, also sent condolences and lauded Biazon for setting an example in the may roles he served.

“It’s not quite enough to say that he wore many hats—as a marine, as the chief of the Armed Forces, as a congressman, and as a senator. He didn’t just wear these hats, rather, he lived his entire life embodying the very essence of these roles, and being a public servant par excellence,” Zubiri said.

“Maybe that was the military man in him, ready to serve 24/7. He dedicated himself so completely to his work, to our people, and to our country, not just because his job called for him to do so, but simply because he so fiercely loved our country and our people,” he added.

For his part, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said Biazon has left an indelible mark in Philippine politics.

“He was a man of character, insight and diplomatic skills. He exemplified these traits when he co-sponsored the Senate resolution concurring with the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) ratification in 1999, as then-chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security. He believed in the power of unity and collaboration, forging alliances and crossing party lines to achieve meaningful progress for our nation,” Estrada said.

“Beyond the titles and the accolades, he was a true servant of the people. Throughout his tenure as a senator, Senator Pong was guided by accountability, transparency, and fairness,” he added.

Senator Robin Padilla, meanwhile, recalled the time when he was asked to play Biazon in a biopic, and how reading the script made him aware that Biazon and his troops were bombed several times by military rebels but the late senator and military officer never wavered.

He also cited that at the height of the armed conflict in Mindanao, Biazon was never abusive of his power.

“Sapagka’t sa kanya po, tunay na nanaig ang officer and a gentleman,” Padilla added. (He has always been an officer and a gentleman.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News