Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon paid tribute to former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who died Thursday at age 61.
“It’s been an honor knowing you as a friend and working with you as a fellow public servant. Rest in peace, you have served the country well, Mr. President,” said Biazon in a post on Facebook.
He said, “Having had the privilege of personally knowing him before he became president, I can truly say that occupying the highest seat of power in the country did not change his character which was marked by humility, integrity, and patriotism.”
“Was it because he was already used to power, having been the offspring of a distinguished president? No, it wasn’t, because he seemed to be uncomfortable with the trappings of power. It was obvious that his overarching mindset, just like his mother, is that to govern was not to exercise power but to perform a duty to serve,” added Biazon.
In 2011, Aquino appointed Biazon as commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, a position he held until 2013.
Aquino won as senator in the 2007 election before running for president in 2010. He won and served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016.