President Arroyo paid her last respects to former President Aquino when she visited the wake at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros early Wednesday morning.

In her off-white pant suit, Mrs. Arroyo arrived at the Cathedral at 3:42 a.m. She was joined by her youngest son Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato’’ Arroyo, some Cabinet members and congressmen who joined her in the US trip. Mrs. Arroyo said that she served as Trade and Industry undersecretary during Aquino administration in 1986.

The President was met by Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. They talked for about 10 minutes. Also joining them was Aquino’s aunt, Lupita Kashiwahara, who also accompanied the President in her seven-day US trip.

Before leaving the wake, Mrs. Arroyo went to the casket of Mrs. Aquino and said a prayer.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo was not with the President during the wake. He decided to stay in the US to attend to some personal matters. “She was very happy that she was able to pay her last respects. She did the right thing. She appreciated that Noynoy was very civil,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a press briefing in his office, shortly after accompanying the President to the wake.

“So far, the gesture of Noynoy was a statesmanship of the highest level,” he said.

He said the Filipino tradition of setting aside indifferences out of respect for the dead has been shown through the “civil” exchange between the senator and the President.

Senator Aquino appeared to have been waiting for the President’arrival when he was approached by some media members from Malacañang, he said: “I think I need to sleep.”

Asked on how difficult the arrangement of the President’s visit to Mrs. Aquino’s wake was, the Palace official said: “There were some Cabinet members who feared that Ma’am might be embarrassed because it is not the President as person, but the Office of the President.”

“There were hawks and doves also on our side,” he added.

Remonde refused to name the “hawks” who opposed to President’s decision to visit Mrs. Aquino’s funeral wake. “She was willing to take the risk. She felt it was her obligation as President to pay last respects. She felt it was the right thing to do,” Remonde said.

He added: “She has made a lot of sacrifice in her lifetime in her career as public servant. She was willing to endure one more for the sake of political civility,” he added.