Philippine former president Benigno Aquino was laid to rest in a Manila cemetery on Saturday beside his parents, two of the Southeast Asian country's democracy icons. 
 
Hundreds of mourners in black and white, some also wearing yellow - the colour associated with the Aquino family and a 1986 revolution that toppled a dictator - ribbons and face masks, attended a funeral mass and burial ceremony. 
 
Aquino, president from 2010 to 2016, died at age 61 in a Manila hospital on Thursday of kidney failure as a result of diabetes. 
 
"To the man we were so blessed to have as our brother, we will forever be proud of you, thank you, long for you and love you," Maria Elena Aquino-Cruz, an older sister of Aquino, said at the funeral mass. 
 
Aquino's remains were cremated on Thursday. Thousands queued for the public viewing in a church in his alma mater on Friday. 
 
Filipinos lined up along roads to pay respect during the one-hour convoy of dozens of vehicles from his alma mater, Ateneo de Manila University, to the cemetery south of the capital. 
 
The military gave a 21-gun salute and a helicopter rained down yellow flowers. At the Aquino residence at the heart of the capital, supporters left chrysanthemums, yellow bell and sunflower for the late leader. 
 
Among those paying respects to Aquino was vice president and political ally Leni Robredo, and close friends. Most supporters were blocked at the entrance of the cemetery to prevent mass gathering and the spread of COVID-19. 
 
"I pray for another family with the attitude like Noy and his parents that will fight for truth, justice, loyalty, love for God and country," Thelma Chua, 64, wearing a yellow shirt at the funeral, told Reuters. 
 
Known popularly as Noynoy, Aquino rode a wave of public support to the presidency after the 2009 death of his mother, the revered 'People Power' leader Corazon Aquino, who was president from 1986 to 1992. 
 
His namesake father, a staunch critic of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was assassinated when he returned from political exile in 1983, planting the seeds for the 1986 People Power revolution that booted the strongman from office. 
 
As president, the younger Aquino led the Philippines in shedding its perennial 'sick man of Asia' image through better governance and robust economic growth. He challenged Beijing's sweeping claims of the South China Sea before the arbitration court in The Hague in 2013. 
 
Aquino, who led a private life after stepping down, is survived by four sisters. 
 
The best tribute for the late president is "to bring back, recover, preserve, safeguard and never again to compromise our dignity as a people and the decency of our leaders as servants, not bosses," Archbishop Socrates Villegas, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, said in his homily. 
 
President Rodrigo Duterte, criticised by the Catholic church and rights group for crassness and his bloody war on drugs but hugely popular as a man of the people, did not attend the funeral.

Philippine former president Benigno Aquino was laid to rest in a Manila cemetery on Saturday beside his parents, two of the Southeast Asian country's democracy icons.

Philippine former president Benigno Aquino was laid to rest in a Manila cemetery on Saturday beside his parents, two of the Southeast Asian country's democracy icons. Hundreds of mourners in black and white, some also wearing yellow - the colour associated with the Aquino family and a 1986 revolution that toppled a dictator - ribbons and face masks, attended a funeral mass and burial ceremony. Aquino, president from 2010 to 2016, died at age 61 in a Manila hospital on Thursday of kidney failure as a result of diabetes. "To the man we were so blessed to have as our brother, we will forever be proud of you, thank you, long for you and love you," Maria Elena Aquino-Cruz, an older sister of Aquino, said at the funeral mass. Aquino's remains were cremated on Thursday. Thousands queued for the public viewing in a church in his alma mater on Friday. Filipinos lined up along roads to pay respect during the one-hour convoy of dozens of vehicles from his alma mater, Ateneo de Manila University, to the cemetery south of the capital. The military gave a 21-gun salute and a helicopter rained down yellow flowers. At the Aquino residence at the heart of the capital, supporters left chrysanthemums, yellow bell and sunflower for the late leader. Among those paying respects to Aquino was vice president and political ally Leni Robredo, and close friends. Most supporters were blocked at the entrance of the cemetery to prevent mass gathering and the spread of COVID-19. "I pray for another family with the attitude like Noy and his parents that will fight for truth, justice, loyalty, love for God and country," Thelma Chua, 64, wearing a yellow shirt at the funeral, told Reuters. Known popularly as Noynoy, Aquino rode a wave of public support to the presidency after the 2009 death of his mother, the revered 'People Power' leader Corazon Aquino, who was president from 1986 to 1992. His namesake father, a staunch critic of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was assassinated when he returned from political exile in 1983, planting the seeds for the 1986 People Power revolution that booted the strongman from office. As president, the younger Aquino led the Philippines in shedding its perennial 'sick man of Asia' image through better governance and robust economic growth. He challenged Beijing's sweeping claims of the South China Sea before the arbitration court in The Hague in 2013. Aquino, who led a private life after stepping down, is survived by four sisters. The best tribute for the late president is "to bring back, recover, preserve, safeguard and never again to compromise our dignity as a people and the decency of our leaders as servants, not bosses," Archbishop Socrates Villegas, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, said in his homily. President Rodrigo Duterte, criticised by the Catholic church and rights group for crassness and his bloody war on drugs but hugely popular as a man of the people, did not attend the funeral.

Filipinos bid farewell to former president Benigno Aquino

Former Philippines President Benigno Aquino has died at the age of 61. Aquino was the country's 15th President and was in office from 2010 to 2016. He died of renal failure as a result of diabetes.

Ex-Philippines President benigno aquino dies at the age of 61

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday offered China conciliatory talks on a long-awaited international tribunal ruling over Beijing&#39;s maritime claims, a week before the verdict. 
 
Duterte, who was sworn into office last week, said he was optimistic that the UN-backed tribunal in the Hague would rule in the favour of the Philippines. 
 
&quot;If it&#39;s favourable to us, let&#39;s talk,&quot; Duterte said in a speech before the Philippine Air Force at the former US military base of Clark, about an hour&#39;s drive from the capital Manila. 
 
An international tribunal will rule on July 12 in a case the Philippines brought challenging China&#39;s claims to most of the strategically vital South China Sea. 
 
China&#39;s claims extend even close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. 
 
China has said it would reject the ruling and refused to recognise the Permanent Court of Arbitration&#39;s jurisdiction over the issue. 
 
Duterte has said he would not &#39;taunt or flaunt&#39; a favourable ruling 
 
Duterte has said he wants friendly relations with China, a departure from his predecessor Benigno Aquino who angered Beijing by launching the legal action and strengthening ties with the Philippines&#39; longtime ally the United States. 
 
Aquino&#39;s government argued that China&#39;s claims to most of the South China Sea and its massive island-building programme in the disputed waters violated international law. 
 
Aquino had refused to hold direct talks with China on the issue, pointing to Beijing&#39;s insistence that its claims were indisputable and thus there was nothing to negotiate. 
 
Aquino had also feared negotiations would disadvantage the Philippines, which has far fewer diplomatic resources. 
 
In contrast, Duterte had previously said he was open to talks with China, and even joint ventures to share resources in the sea. 
 
But Tuesday&#39;s comments were the first since becoming president confirming he was open to talks, which have long been favoured by China because of its perceived advantage. 
 
After assuming the presidency, Duterte had said that he would not &quot;taunt or flaunt&quot; a favourable ruling. 
 
Ahead of the ruling, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing was &quot;not afraid of trouble&quot; while state-run media urged China to prepare for &quot;military confrontation&quot; in the disputed waters. 
 
Duterte on Tuesday reiterated he was against any armed conflict. 
 
&quot;We are not prepared to go to war. War is a dirty word,&quot; Duterte said. 
 
He added that even if the tribunal rules against the Philippines, his administration would accept the judgment. 
 
&quot;We will proceed accordingly. We will always decide for the greater interest of our country.&quot; 
 
The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, where over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. 
 
Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have overlapping claims to the waters, which are believed to sit atop vast mineral reserves. 
 
(AFP)

Duterte has said he wants friendly relations with China, a departure from his predecessor Benigno Aquino

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday offered China conciliatory talks on a long-awaited international tribunal ruling over Beijing's maritime claims, a week before the verdict. Duterte, who was sworn into office last week, said he was optimistic that the UN-backed tribunal in the Hague would rule in the favour of the Philippines. "If it's favourable to us, let's talk," Duterte said in a speech before the Philippine Air Force at the former US military base of Clark, about an hour's drive from the capital Manila. An international tribunal will rule on July 12 in a case the Philippines brought challenging China's claims to most of the strategically vital South China Sea. China's claims extend even close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. China has said it would reject the ruling and refused to recognise the Permanent Court of Arbitration's jurisdiction over the issue. Duterte has said he would not 'taunt or flaunt' a favourable ruling Duterte has said he wants friendly relations with China, a departure from his predecessor Benigno Aquino who angered Beijing by launching the legal action and strengthening ties with the Philippines' longtime ally the United States. Aquino's government argued that China's claims to most of the South China Sea and its massive island-building programme in the disputed waters violated international law. Aquino had refused to hold direct talks with China on the issue, pointing to Beijing's insistence that its claims were indisputable and thus there was nothing to negotiate. Aquino had also feared negotiations would disadvantage the Philippines, which has far fewer diplomatic resources. In contrast, Duterte had previously said he was open to talks with China, and even joint ventures to share resources in the sea. But Tuesday's comments were the first since becoming president confirming he was open to talks, which have long been favoured by China because of its perceived advantage. After assuming the presidency, Duterte had said that he would not "taunt or flaunt" a favourable ruling. Ahead of the ruling, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing was "not afraid of trouble" while state-run media urged China to prepare for "military confrontation" in the disputed waters. Duterte on Tuesday reiterated he was against any armed conflict. "We are not prepared to go to war. War is a dirty word," Duterte said. He added that even if the tribunal rules against the Philippines, his administration would accept the judgment. "We will proceed accordingly. We will always decide for the greater interest of our country." The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, where over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have overlapping claims to the waters, which are believed to sit atop vast mineral reserves. (AFP)

Philippines President offers China conciliatory talks over maritime claims

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