Remonde's remains arrive in Cebu

The remains of the late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde arrived in Cebu shortly before noon Friday. Radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate reported that the C-130 cargo plane carrying his remains arrived in the province at 11:45 a.m. and was whisked off in a convoy to the Malacañang sa Sugbu, the Philippine President's official residence in the Visayas region. Remonde's remains will be brought later to Argao, the pres secretary's home town, where a hero's welcome had been prepared for him. The plane carrying Remonde's remains left Manila before 10 a.m., after a sendoff ceremony in Malacañang on Friday morning. An earlier report on dzXL radio said four motorcycle escorts from the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group and mobile units from the Manila Police District escorted Remonde’s cortege from Malacañang to Villamor Air Base. Another report by radio dzBB’s Tuesday Niu said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo joined officials in a sendoff for Remonde's cortege. Before the sendoff, Remonde’s widow Marit and other relatives had one last chance to view the press secretary's remains, which were brought to Malacañang’s Heroes’ Hall Thursday. Remonde died of a heart attack in his Makati City house last Tuesday. He was 51 years old. Manila Bulletin editor-in-chief Crispulo Icban Jr. will take over the post left by Remonde. - ARCS/RJAB Jr./GMANews.TV