Skid marks at seabed

Malacañang has declared: DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo is dead. Due to the consecutive holidays after this year’s Kadayawan Festival, many of us may have been shocked and waited for any update about the small executive plane that crashed some kilometers off the Masbate shore where Secretary Robredo was the VIP passenger. The whole nation did not give up hope while rescuers continued to explore for any signs of life underneath or above the sea. Not less than the Robredo family and the President himself Benigno S. Aquino III have never thrown in the towel. President P-Noy had immediately formed a rescue team, involving some of his cabinet secretaries near the crash site.

When some parts of the twin-engine Seneca Piper plane were fished out the next day of the operation, prayer vigils were heightened everywhere to plea for some miracles, or at least, hoping that the cabinet secretary and the two pilots were absent in the submerged fuselage. Many shared a similar prayer just to conceive an optimistic idea that they are still alive, somewhere. But there, with the plane’s remains in upside down position 800 meters off the Masbate bay and 180 feet below water’s surface, was a stark reality of three human bodies already lifeless. They were the operation’s subjects which included cabinet secretary Robredo. After secretary Mar Roxas made such emotional statement, all seemed to be in suspended animation.

Had Robredo exited in the cockpit unharmed after such emergency landing at sea, his streak of luck was anchored at his being a good swimmer. That started all the speculations. But it may still be against all the odds knowing the risks and casualty rate in any plane crash incidents. It was tragic. The whole nation mourns for its loss. As the more equipped non-Filipino technical divers were highly concerned of the skid marks at the ocean floor, mapping out a better strategy in the rescue effort, those whose lives were touched by Robredo in the name of public service cannot stop the weeping. As the story of the life and the passing of the good DILG secretary unfolded, I have noticed that he (Robredo) too leaves some skid marks in the hearts of the Filipinos who longed for sincere service in government. He was a person of humility whose dedication to service was unquestionable. Our truest sympathy goes to the Robredo family.