TV host-talent manager Boy Abunda said that former President Corazon Aquino’s youngest daughter, TV host-actress Kris Aquino was “very quiet” when her mother passed away at dawn on August 1.

Tita Cory’s close friends and immediate family-except for Kris for was displaying such courage - were crying silently when Tita Cory passed away, said Abunda.

“Kris only let down her courageous façade when Tita Cory’s body was brought out of the room.”

The Manila Bulletin online broke the news on Cory Aquino’s death at 4:14 AM, August 1, about an hour after she drew her last breath at Makati Medical Center at 3:18 am.

Aquino, who was announced last year to have been afflicted with cancer of the colon, died of cardio respiratory arrest. She was 76.

A few weeks prior to President Aquino’s death, Kris had announced in her showbiz oriented TV show, “The Buzz,” that she would be taking a sabbatical from work to be by her mother’s side as much as possible.

“In the next few days, I might be at work, I might not be at work. Sana po maintindihan nyo na these are very difficult times. Ayoko pong magkaroon ng regrets na ba’t ako pumasok sa trabaho when I could have been in the hospital,” Kris tearfully told the public in the July 19 episode of “The Buzz.”

Abunda disclosed that the people inside President Aquino’s hospital room were praying the rosary when she died.

“They were praying the 5th sorrowful mystery – the death and crucifixion of Jesus,” said Abunda.

He added that Jesuit Father Catalino Arevalo, a close friend of Cory Aquino, said mass after she passed away.

The Aquino family will be holding a press conference before noon today. They have requested to be given time to privately grieve their loss.

ABS-CBN, Kris Aquino’s mother network, had aired an official statement on Cory’s death.

“Si Pangulong Corazon Aquino ay naging simbolo ng demokrasya mula ng mabuwag nya ang diktadura.

Ipinaglaban nya ang kalayaan ng pamamahayag. Ang ABS-CBN na tinig ng malayang mamamayan, ay muli nyang binuksan at ibinalik nya sa mga tunay na nagmamay-ari.

Isa siyang lider na umantig sa ating mga puso. Kinatawan at isinabuhay n’ya ang tunay na diwa ng People Power . Siya ang naging halimbawa ng bawat Pilipino na maging mabuti at magpakabuti.

Maraming salamat, President Cory, sa pagbibigay mo sa amin ng pagasa at gabay sa tamang landas.”