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Rep. Edcel Lagman speaks on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal during a press conference at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 26, 2020. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file



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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173856399171920250130110116_d1c9d202-0235-4ab4-bc48-0860d35892b4.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rep. Edcel Lagman speaks on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal during a press conference at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 26, 2020. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/fileRep. Edcel Lagman speaks on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal during a press conference at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 26, 2020. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rep. Edcel Lagman speaks on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal during a press conference at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on February 26, 2020. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span>ALBAY — Former Vice President Leni Robredo was among the first to pay respects to the late Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Monday morning, February 3, in Sogod, Bacacay, Albay, where the late congressman’s remains are laid.</div><p>In her message, Robredo said that the death of Congressman Lagman was a significant loss to the Liberal Party, where he introduced innovations that are still being pursued during the party’s reconstruction process.</p><p>More than just a loss for the party, Robredo shared that Lagman’s death was deeply personal to her. He had treated her as if she were his own child.</p><p>“Sa akin personal kasi noong naging vice president ako, naging malapit ako kay Cong Edcel. Malapit yung bahay na tinitirhan ko sa Manila sa bahay niya, so kapag merong kailangang isangguni, pinupuntahan ko siya sa bahay, at yung treatment niya talaga sa akin parang anak niya. Kaya ngayon na wala na siya, yung loss talagang ramdam na ramdam,” Robredo said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/31/remembering-edcel-lagman-statesman-human-rights-defender-0111">Remembering Edcel Lagman: Statesman, human rights defender</a></div><p>Various groups have offered masses for the late congressman, and during this morning’s mass, Reverend Father Christian Bosita, the officiating priest, mentioned that he couldn’t let this moment pass without holding a mass for Lagman, as he had been a former scholar of the late congressman.</p><p>“When I was studying philosophy, philosophy is 4 years and theology is another 4 years, I was his scholar all throughout my philosophy years and until 2nd year of my theology… It was a great help for me personally since I came from a not so rich family, just a middle and then I have other siblings na nagka-college,&quot; recalled Father Bosita who is now the assistant parish priest of St. John the Baptist Parish in Tabaco City.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/2/2/rep-edcel-lagman-binigyan-ng-full-military-honors-pagdating-sa-albay-1921">Rep. Edcel Lagman binigyan ng full military honors pagdating sa Albay</a></div><p>Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman, the eldest of Congressman Lagman’s seven children, said that her father had helped over 16,000 poor and deserving students, many of whom are now professionals holding positions in both government and private institutions.</p><p>“It started in 2006 and palagay ko more than 16500 ang napa-graduate na scholars through the Lagman’s scholarship program. When I was the congresswoman, I took over naman and pinatapos namin ang mga estudyante na hindi pa nakakatapos during the term of Congressman Lagman and when he came back, ganun na naman patuloy hanggang inabot natin ang more than 16,500,&quot; Krisel said.</p><p>&quot;Many of them are now professionals, some of them are in government service, may provincial director na, may mga high ranking officials na din, meron both in the military, pnp the other uniformed personne, merong nurses abroad and maraming engineers sa dubai mga architects and when they come they would visit and say nanaging Lagman scholar ako.&quot;</p><p>Congressman Lagman’s remains were flown into Bicol on Sunday morning, February 2.
On the first night, friends, supporters, and political allies gathered to pay their respects.</p><p>Among them was Bicol tourism regional director Herbie Aguas, who had once run against Lagman in the congressional race for the first district of Albay.</p><p>“I ran for congressman in 2019, and it was a one-on-one race with Tito Edcel. It was a very close and historic fight because I was the only one who came close to the legendary ‘Superman.’ The funny thing is, even though we were rivals, our relationship was like love and hate. There was mutual respect. Even during our rivalry, there was a time when I laughed at something he said, that I was fighting against him but still praising him. I’m just telling the truth. I’m not ungrateful—I always recognize and appreciate the work he did for the first district, especially for Sto. Domingo, Albay,” Aguas recalled.</p><p> On Tuesday, Congressman Lagman’s remains will be transferred to St. John the Baptist Church in Tabaco City, where masses will be held throughout the day. </p><p>A send-off ceremony will take place tomorrow night before his remains are flown back to Manila on Wednesday morning for a necrological service in Congress.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QhaZD5QeYeA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Former Vice President Leni Robredo was among the first to pay respects to the late Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Monday morning, February 3, in Sogod, Bacacay, Albay, where the late congressman’s remains are laid.</p>

Former Vice President Leni Robredo was among the first to pay respects to the late Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Monday morning, February 3, in Sogod, Bacacay, Albay, where the late congressman’s remains are laid.

Robredo: Lagman's death a significant loss to Liberal Party

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Robredo: Lagman's death a significant loss to Liberal Party

ABS-CBN News,

Aireen Perol

Published February 03, 2025 02:47 PM PHT

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