SURIGAO CITY — The remains of former Sen. Robert Z. Barbers, Surigao del Norte’s favorite son, returned home to a warm welcome by thousands of adoring Surigao folk who swarmed the airport here to pay their last respects to a fallen hometown hero.
Provincial and community leaders here aired their appreciation to the decision of the Barbers family to schedule a three-night wake at the Surigao Convention Center which the late popular crimebuster helped build during his incumbency as senator.
Mindanao’s top political leaders were likewise expected to troop to Surigao City to pay homage to the Mindanaoan who rose to national fame by leading a successful anti-crime and anti-drug abuse program from his first law enforcement job as a detective of the Manila Police Department (now the Manila Police District) until his appointment as secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government in 1996.
Philippine Tourism Authority General Manager Robert Dean Barbers, one of the late senator’s three sons, escorted his father’s body to a C-130 flight to Surigao del Norte at about 11 a.m. yesterday.
Another son, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said his father’s remains will be flown back to Manila for various funeral honors at the MPD, Camp Crame in Quezon City, and the Senate before interment Wednesday at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
Barbers, 61, died on Christmas day at the Medical City in Pasig City.
Meanwhile, Mindanao congressmen yesterday expressed their deep sense of loss over the death of Sen. Barbers whom they described as one of their region’s great leaders and favorite son.
Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Mayo Almario said Mindanao truly benefited from Sen. Barbers’ incumbency as a senator as he advocated the region’s development not only in the allocation of his pork barrel but also in his legislative efforts.
"Sen. Barbers had always been at the forefront of pushing for the welfare of Mindanaoans in the various issues confronting the region, including peace and order, and development," said Almario.
Almario, chairman of the House Committee on Games and Amusements, said the sense of humility of Barbers also endeared him to Mindanaoans. "They found him very approachable when they sought his help in different matters. We will sorely miss him."
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