Mayor Lim almost rubbed elbows with Atienza at Reyes' wake

Political rivals Manila mayor Alfredo Lim and former mayor Jose "Lito" Atienza almost bumped into each other on Saturday at the wake of former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Angelo Reyes at Camp Aguinaldo. Mayor Lim, who defeated Atienza in the May 2010 elections, left the wake at the St. Ignatius Cathedral inside Camp Aguinaldo less than 10 minutes before Atienza arrived.

Lim, a former police official, arrived around 11 a.m. to condole with the family of Reyes, who shot himself in the chest at the height of a controversy linking him to alleged pay-offs in the military. The mayor described Reyes a "perfectionist." He also lamented how lawmakers seemed to have zeroed in on Reyes, adding Senate and House investigations on the alleged misuse military funds should have focused on the plea bargaining agreement between the Office of the Ombudsman and former Gen. Carlos Garcia. Garcia faces plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly amassing P300 million through bribery while the he was still in the military service. In a widely criticized move, the Office of the Ombudsman had entered into a plea-bargain deal with Garcia, who pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of bribery and pleaded not guilty to plunder charge that is non-bailable. He was later released from jail after posting bail as a result of the deal. Shortly after Lim left the St. Ignatius Cathedral on Saturday, Atienza arrived just in time for the Mass sponsored by the Ramon Magsaysay High School, Reyes' high school alma mater. Atienza, a former Manila mayor and Environment secretary, described Reyes, who also served as Environment chief, as a "disciplined" and "passionate" man. Atienza lauded the deceased general for continuing the environmental advocacy he [Atienza] initiated, especially on climate change. He said Reyes deserves to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, where the remains of the general will be laid to rest at 12 noon Sunday. — LBG, GMA News