The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) held an eight-gun salute as a tribute to the late former President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Friday morning, June 25.
The military honors were performed throughout the day starting with the eight-gun fire during the reveille time at 5 a.m., followed by a gun fire every half-hour beginning 6 a.m. until the retreat time at 5 p.m., after which, another eight-gun salute is fired.
A gun salute is a tradition in the AFP that is performed by the firing of cannons or artilleries. It is meant as a military honor and is performed during the inauguration of a president, death of a top military official, death of a former president, or part of courtesy calls of foreign leaders during their state visits.
The eight-gun salute represents the first eight provinces that participated in the Philippine revolution against Spanish invaders from 1896 to 1899, according to AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo. These provinces were Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.
The Philippine flag at Camp Aguinaldo was also flown at half-staff in mourning of Aquino's passing. This was also observed in all military camps nationwide.
Aside from Camp Aguinaldo, the eight-gun salute were also simultaneously fired at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City; Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay City; Fort Abad in Manila; Fort Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City; and in all AFP Unified Command Headquarters in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
At 10 a.m., all military units based at Camp Aguinaldo assembled to hear Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, AFP Chief of Staff, read the official notice on Aquino's death.
"Our country mourns the loss of former President Benigno Aquino III. As the 15th President of the country, President Aquino bore a cross, so few are willing and capable of, as it entailed the biggest sacrifice Filipinos could ever dream to give for their country," Sobejana said in his speech.
"Through him and in him, we saw our collective strength and resolve to do and achieve what is best for our country, a responsibility that is not without great cost to a person's mind, body, and spirit," he added.
Sobejana remembered Aquino's perseverance to advocate for the strengthening of their defense and security capabilities "to support national development and defend the country against all threats."
In 2012, during Aquino's term, Republic Act (RA) No. 10349 or the Revised AFP Modernization Act was enacted to revitalize the military's slow-paced modernization program.
"As Commander-in-Chief, he recognized the importance of equipping our military to better respond to the evolving domestic and regional security challenges," Sobejana said.
With the advent of the Internal Peace and Security Plan - "Bayanihan," Sobejana said Aquino encouraged the military to adopt an inclusive approach toward security, where every Filipino is a stakeholder in the quest to achieve just and lasting peace.
"It opened up space for people's participation in making our country and our future safer and more peaceful," he noted.
Further, the AFP chief recognized Aquino's support and encouragement in the military's journey towards genuine transformation in the organization.
"To this, we give our former President and Commander in Chief our snappiest salute and our pledge to continue to perform our mandate. The banner of your legacy will continue to fly on the hallowed grounds of our camps anywhere in the country," Sobejana concluded.
Aquino died on Thursday morning due to renal disease secondary to diabetes. He was 61.
A 21-gun salute will be held by the AFP on Aquino's burial on Saturday at the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City.