Angelo Reyes commits suicide

By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:53:00 02/08/2011
Filed Under: Obituary, Military, Graft & Corruption
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) Former Armed Forces Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes on Tuesday morning committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.

He was 65.

A close friend of Reyes called the Philippine Daily Inquirer to break the news, while Colonel Boogie De Leon, a former administrative officer of Reyes when he was AFP chief, said Reyes was rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 a.m. to revive him. Members of his family could not be reached for comment.

De Leon said that Reyes’s son Jett called him up to inform him of the incident.

Reyes, who earlier suffered a mild stroke before the congressional investigations on the alleged AFP financial irregularities, said he could not take anymore the smear campaign against his name and his family.

“Not my family,” he said.

Reyes, who loved his mother very much when she was still alive, earlier told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview that he would never do anything that would besmirch the name of “my good mother.”

In a press conference aired on radio and television, Health Secretary Enrique Ona confirmed Reyes has died from gunshot wound to the heart. He said Reyes was proclaimed dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Ona said the doctors tried to resuscitate Reyes who was brought to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. from Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City where he visited the grave of his mother.

Ona refused to say what caused the gunshot wounds and could not determine the kind of gun used, saying all these were under investigation.

He “was brought here to the emergency room, wala nang pulso at di na humihinga. Nilagyan ng tubo at nag-resuscitation, swero, binigyan ng gamot. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., talagang wala na (without pulse and not breathing. He was tubated and resuscitated, put on IV. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., he’s really gone)."

He had a gunshot wound to the heart and an external wound to the back.

Reyes, a graduate of Philippine Military Academy Class ’66, was AFP chief under President Joseph Estrada, and secretary of defense, interior and local government, and energy during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2003. He graduated as the class valedictorian in high school and was among the top ten graduates of the PMA.

He went on to obtain two masteral degrees, namely: Masters in Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management in 1973 and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1991. He also took up International Defense Management Course in Monterey, California in 1983.

In 1987, he graduated No. 1 in Trust Operations Management Course conducted by the Trust Institutes Foundation of the Philippines at the Ateneo Business School which eventually earned him a scholarship to the Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.


===================================================================

General Angelo Tomas Reyes (Ret.) or “Angie” to friends, was born on March 17, 1945 in San Miguel, Manila to Pablo S. Reyes of Binangonan, Rizal and Purificacion Tomas of Malate, Manila.

Angie spent most of his child days in San Miguel, Manila. He completed his secondary schooling at the Cubao High School in 1960 where he graduated as the class valedictorian. In 1966, he was among the top ten graduates of the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City. He then proceeded to acquire two masteral degrees, namely: Masters in Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management in 1973 and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1991. He also took up International Defense Management Course in Monterey, California in 1983. And in 1987, he graduated No. 1 in Trust Operations Management Course conducted by the Trust Institutes Foundation of the Philippines at the Ateneo Business School which eventually earned him a scholarship to the Northwestern University in Chicago, illinois.

Secretary Reyes started his career in the military as a Team Leader in the Philippine Army Special Forces. He spent his field command duties as battalion commander, brigade commander, and area commander in Mindanao where he gained experiences in addressing the threats from the communist insurgency and muslim secessionism in the Philippines. He became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army which propelled him to the top post of the Philippine Military as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

As AFP Chief of Staff, he worked towards the Vision of A 21st Century Armed Forces… that is fully mission-effective, progressively-efficient, technology-driven, versatile, responsive to change and composed of soldiers who are visible role models to the Filipino People. On January 19, 2001, moved by the spirit of patriotism, the then General Reyes played an instrumental role in leading the entire Armed Forces in a collective effort to side with the Filipino People’s call for a genuine reform in society and governance. That momentous decision led to a peaceful transition of national leadership which ushered new hope for truth, honor and decency in public service.

Barely two days after his retirement as the 27th Chief of Staff of the AFP, he was sworn into office as the 23rd Secretary of National Defense. In concurrent capacity, he also chaired the National Disaster Coordinating Council. Under his leadership, hw was able to imbibe a culture of excellence at the department of national defense and transformed it into a technology-driven defense establishment making it more re3sponsive to the challenges o rapidly changing security establishment amidst the rising trend in global terrorism, He was instrumental in crafting the National Internal Security Plan which is now being implemented by the government in addressing the root causes of insurgency through poverty alleviation, delivery of basic services and empowerment of the local government.

As chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, he campaigned for preservation of lives and property through individual preparedness and responsiveness. He ventured on a tri-media information campaign program dubbed “FIRST DEFENSE” which was proven effective in educating individuals and families on how to be self-reliant in times of disasters and calamities.

August 29, 2003, Secretary Reyes stepped down from his post as Secretary of National Defense. Considered by many as a knight sacrificed to save the queen in the political chess game, his resignation from his post exemplified an awe-inspiring sense of self-sacrifice that rose above personal interests and love for the country. To paraphrase an editorial in a local daily newspaper, his resignation rose above the level of mere decency to true statesmanship.

Secretary Reyes, however, was named Anti-Kidnapping Presidential Adviser on October 26, 2003, after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order Number 248 creating the Office of the Anti-Kidnapping Presidential Adviser, and subsequently, the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) to address the problem of kidnapping in the country and to demonstrate the governments resolve to eradicate this menace. His installation as anti-kidnapping czar once again proved the effectiveness of his leadership as the Task Force was able to neutralize the number one Kidnap-for-Ransom Gang (KFRG) on the NAKTF order of battle, in his few short weeks in office.

Barely five months after NAKTF was created, Secretary Reyes was once again appointed as the Presidential Adviser on Anti-Smuggling on March 10, 2004 by virtue of Executive Order Number 297 to orchestrate and oversee a consolidated national anti-smuggling campaign. He now heads the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (NASTF) as Chief, and is making headway in the fight against smuggling, proving further his mettle and grit in putting an end to the ills that beset the nation.

Throughout his career, Secretary Reyes received various awards and decorations from both the military and civilian institutions. He was a recipient of the Philippine Legion of Honor, AFP Distinguished Service Star, Military Merit Medals, Anti-Dissidence Campaign Ribbons and other Philippine military decorations. He was awarded the Order of the White Elephant by King Bhumidol of Thailand and the Order of Valor by the King of Malaysia.

As a civic leader, he was chosen as the Most Outstanding Project Chairman by the Philippine Jaycees for Project “The Youth Speaks” in 1981. That same project was later adjudged as the Most Outstanding External Affairs Project in the World during the Jaycees World Convention in Germany in 1991. In 1991, he was given the honor of being a Kabisig Awardee for his Project: Common Cause, Uncommon Zeal”. (KABISIG is a nationwide government socio-economic project in rural areas). With all these accomplishments, he was named the Most Outstanding Alumnus of the Asian Institute of Management in 1982 and Most Outstanding PMA Alumnus (Cavalier Award for Public Administration) in 2001.

Secretary Angelo Reyes truly exemplifies the benefits of education, the values of leadership, and the legacy of dedication to ones, resolve for the good of the majority.

Secretary Reyes is married to Teresita P Reyes with whom he has five sons, Pablo, Angelito, Marc, Carlo and Judd.