For those who “belittled” and “maligned” former Armed Forces chief Angelo Reyes, they are not welcome to attend the wake, said Patricia Daza, speaking on behalf of the bereaved Reyes family.
"They know who they are. They are not welcome," she said.
Reyes, apparently distraught after being accused of massive corruption, died from a single bullet he fired into his chest while at the graveyard of his mother in Marikina City Tuesday morning.
"The family is very, very devastated,” said Daza, who served as public relations officer of Reyes during his stint as secretary of the Department of Energy.
“They request that those people who maligned, belittled, humiliated the secretary in public and media not to come anymore to pay their respects,” she said.
Daza specifically cited 1Utak partylist group, lawmakers and military officers “who fabricated lies against the secretary."
"Please don’t come. Don’t send prayers or flowers. The family will never accept them,” she said.
Asked if the Reyes family was blaming the lawmakers conducting inquiries into the alleged corruption in the military, Daza said: "You can't help it. I don't know but I would assume (that)."
She said the family stressed that the suicide of Reyes was not in any way an admission of guilt.
"He was just dragged into this controversy," Daza said.
She said Reyes “wanted to spare his family and the military and the PMA (Philippine Military Academy)” from further embarrassment brought about by the high-profile Senate inquiry.
“Until the end, he was an officer, a gentleman. He did not betray anyone, he did not squeal,” Daza said.
His body lies at the Ascension Chapels in Quezon City.
The family is still waiting for the arrival of Reyes' only living brother from the United States before deciding when to bury his remains.
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Reyes' former boss, was among the first to arrive at the Ascension Chapels.
Arroyo, now a congresswoman representing Pampanga, was also among the first to arrive at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City when news broke about Reyes’ suicide.
Members of the media have been barred from entering the chapel.
Reyes, apparently distraught after being accused of massive corruption, died from a single bullet he fired into his chest while at the graveyard of his mother in Marikina City Tuesday morning.
"The family is very, very devastated,” said Daza, who served as public relations officer of Reyes during his stint as secretary of the Department of Energy.
“They request that those people who maligned, belittled, humiliated the secretary in public and media not to come anymore to pay their respects,” she said.
Daza specifically cited 1Utak partylist group, lawmakers and military officers “who fabricated lies against the secretary."
"Please don’t come. Don’t send prayers or flowers. The family will never accept them,” she said.
Asked if the Reyes family was blaming the lawmakers conducting inquiries into the alleged corruption in the military, Daza said: "You can't help it. I don't know but I would assume (that)."
She said the family stressed that the suicide of Reyes was not in any way an admission of guilt.
"He was just dragged into this controversy," Daza said.
She said Reyes “wanted to spare his family and the military and the PMA (Philippine Military Academy)” from further embarrassment brought about by the high-profile Senate inquiry.
“Until the end, he was an officer, a gentleman. He did not betray anyone, he did not squeal,” Daza said.
His body lies at the Ascension Chapels in Quezon City.
The family is still waiting for the arrival of Reyes' only living brother from the United States before deciding when to bury his remains.
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Reyes' former boss, was among the first to arrive at the Ascension Chapels.
Arroyo, now a congresswoman representing Pampanga, was also among the first to arrive at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City when news broke about Reyes’ suicide.
Members of the media have been barred from entering the chapel.
