By CBCP News
June 24, 2021
Manila, Philippines

Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila leads prayers at the Manila Cathedral for former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who died Thursday, June 24. CBCP NEWS

Cardinal Jose Advincula, the newly installed archbishop of Manila, and other bishops have offered their prayers following the death of former President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday.

After his installation Mass, Advincula told the faithful, “We were informed of the sad news of the passing away of our former President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III”.

“Let us entrust him to the mercy of our loving father and let us pray for the eternal repose of his soul,” he said.

Among those present were dozens of bishops and more than 300 priests and lay faithful.

The former president died at the age of 61 after being hospitalized in Manila.

Aquino was the country’s 15th president, serving from 2010 to 2016, following the death of his mother, former president and democracy icon Corazon Aquino.

His namesake father, a senator and one of the most critical voices who opposed the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos was assassinated in 1983.