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Former Senator and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Rodolfo Biazon Sr., who was diagnosed with lung cancer in July last year, passed away on Monday morning, his family said. He was 88.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon confirmed the passing of his father, who has been confined at the Asian Hospital since May 21 due to pneumonia. He was intubated from May 23 until June 3.
“Thank you so much for all the prayers. It was truly worth it. Papa fought a long and exhausting battle. It’s time to get rest Papa! We love you so dearly! Thanks for bringing honor to the Biazon family. We are proud of you!” said the mayor.
He said his late father courageously fought his last battle like a Marine would, “but it is the Lord’s will which prevails.”
According to Mayor Biazon, his father underwent appropriate cancer treatment in July last year.
However, the elder Biazon caught pneumonia twice this year, and the second was “more serious than the first which had further weakened his lungs,” Mayor Biazon said.
The late “Pong” Biazon was a senator from 1992 to 1995. He was elected again in 1998 and served in the Senate until 2010.
Before joining the Senate, he was the Armed Forces chief during the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino.
Born on April 14, 1935 in Batac, Ilocos Norte, Biazon took up mechanical engineering at FEATI University before he entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1957.
He also served the following posts:
Superintendent of PMA in 1986-87, Commandant of the Philippine Marines in 1987-89, Commanding General of the NCR Defense Command in 1988-90, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff in 1990-91.
He was also a congressman of the lone district of Muntinlupa, was reelected in 2013, and retired from politics in 2016.
Senators mourned Biazon’s death on Independence Day, which his son said was “perfectly fitting” for a soldier “who dedicated his life and laid it on the line in defending freedom and democracy, (and) has been set free from the pains of this world.”
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said necrological rites for Biazon were set in the Senate on June 19, Monday at 10 a.m.
He described the day Biazon died as “a bittersweet Independence Day.”
He noted that Biazon was one of the staunchest defenders of the peace and democracy that Filipinos enjoy today.
“It was a gift to have been a novice senator during a time when Senator Biazon was still in office. I had the great fortune of learning from him and being inspired by his uncompromising public service—not just as a veteran legislator but also as a veteran military man, having been the chief of staff of the Armed Forces. He brought that same military discipline and commitment to his work in the Senate, and to every aspect of his life as a public servant,” he said.
“I am grateful for the time that we spent in the Senate together, and I am glad we had one last chance to reconnect with him last November when he attended the Senate reunion,” Zubiri said.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said he worked with Biazon at the Commission on Appointments (CA) in the 14th Congress. “I was the first party-list representative to join the CA representing the opposition then and it was Senator Pong who showed me the tricks of the trade and ways… to become a more effective CA member.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said Biazon’s unwavering commitment to the nation’s security and welfare will forever be remembered.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said he had the chance to work with Biazon during the 13th and 14th Congress while his mother, former first lady and senator Loi Ejercito Estrada was his contemporary in the 12th and 13th Congress.
“We witnessed firsthand his unparalleled passion for public service and unwavering advocacy for low-cost housing and increased benefits for our soldiers. His wisdom, experience, and exemplary work ethic were always evident, making him an invaluable asset to our institution and a true inspiration to us all,” Estrada said.
He noted that Biazon’s legacy will forever be remembered, and his contributions to the nation will continue to shape the future for generations to come.
“As we mourn the loss of a great leader and statesman, let us also celebrate his remarkable life and the countless lives he touched,” Estrada said.
Senator Francis Escudero lauded the decorated military general for serving the Philippines “impeccably” all throughout his more than five decades in government service.
Escudero said he and Biazon became colleagues in the upper chamber during the latter’s last remaining three years from 2007 to 2010. The Bicolano senator was then serving his first six-year term in the Senate.
Considered a military hero and a defender of democracy, Biazon quelled several coup attempts against the Aquino government.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said the death of Biazon on this Independence Day is a reminder of his formidable, lifelong fight for the motherland.
“Indeed, much can be said about all that he has done for the Filipino people, from his time as a Philippine Marine to his years in Congress, but what remained true all throughout was his unwavering love for the Philippines.”
Long before she met him in person, Hontiveros remembered she read about Biazon in a 1981 Who magazine feature about his being a Marine commander in Davao.
“I remember being taken by his critical mind and his respect for human rights, qualities essential for an officer and a gentleman,” Hontiveros said.
Years later, the opposition senator said she finally met him at the EDSA Shrine just when EDSA Dos was unfolding.
“It was unforgettable not only because he had a crushing handshake, but also because it was the start of the many struggles we fought together,” she said.
A true patriot, Biazon always answered the call of duty even when he was no longer in office, Hontiveros said. When the Duterte administration could not express a clear stance vis-a-vis China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea, she pointed out that Biazon did not hold back from calling on top officials to take a united position against China.
“Time and again, when he saw that our nation was in peril, he stepped out from his private life and gave us public servants clarity and a sense of direction,” she said.
Senator Grace Poe said the country lost an exemplary soldier and lawmaker. She said his valuable work in fortifying the military institution and in lawmaking will not be forgotten.
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon said a patriot has fallen.
“In his lifetime, Sen Pong Biazon always stood, and fought, for what is right for our country. He fought a good fight. Like an old soldier, General Biazon will never die, he will just fade away,” Drilon said.
In a statement, the Department of National Defense praised Biazon’s patriotism, integrity, and commitment to protecting the country’s interests and democracy.
“Senator Biazon’s illustrious career spanned his active service in the military as an officer in the Philippine Marine Corps, and later entering public service as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate,” the statement read.
“Throughout his decades-long service to the Filipino nation, Senator Biazon embodied patriotism, integrity, and commitment to the protection of the country’s freedom and its democratic institutions,” it added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines remembered Biazon’s pivotal role as a former leader in defending the country’s democracy.
“His commitment to public service extended into his political career, serving as a senator who championed key legislation that advocated for the welfare of our countrymen,” AFP said in a statement.
“His leadership and integrity will continue to inspire future generations of servicemen and public servants,” the AFP added.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday joined the millions of Filipinos who gave their final salute to Biazon.
“A brave soul has been summoned back to God’s army on a day that we Filipinos associate with bravery. That is a fitting tribute to Pong Biazon by the Almighty, telling us to emulate the great Filipino that he was,” Romualdez said.
The House leader learned of Biazon’s passing Monday morning while participating in an activity in Caloocan City to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence Day.
“Biazon was a model citizen. He lost his father at 7 years old and was forced to work to provide for himself and his siblings at such a young age. Poverty did not faze him; with sheer determination, he put himself through school to gain the education that he needed to be somebody. In the end, he became somebody that would look up to,” Romualdez said.
A Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1961 graduate, Biazon climbed the ranks of the AFP to become its 21st Chief of Staff three decades later. — Macon Ramos-Araneta and Charles Dantes
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