Members of the House of Representatives are mourning the passing of former senator and human rights champion Rene Saguisag, who died at 84.
His son, Rebo Saguisag, shared the unfortunate news in a Facebook post on Wednesday but did not disclose the cause of the death.
Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes of the Senior Citizen Partylist said that the former lawmaker is not just a "freedom fighter and a true crusader for the poor and disadvantaged" but also "a contemporary Filipino hero."
"When we celebrate National Heroes Day every August, we must not forget to recall the heroism of Rene Saguisag and his contemporaries, who fought for the freedoms some of us take for granted today," Ordanes remarked.
A fellow human rights advocate, lawyer, and former Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun said Saguisag's passing marks a generational time shift in the country's contemporary political history.
"We can only hope and pray that the Millennials, Gen Zs, and future generations will be taught through social media, livestreams, and classroom history lessons how and why Rene Saguisag devoted his life to the rule of law, human rights, good governance, and education so that they are able to live their lives in freedom and prosperity," Fortun said.
"It is now up to those who were alive when Rene Saguisag was very much in the public eye to remind the younger generations of how his life continues to matter," he added.
The Makabayan bloc also expressed extreme sadness at the demise of Saguisag, whom they called a "great statesman."
"Former senator Saguisag's unwavering commitment to upholding justice and defending the rights of the Filipino people has left an indelible mark on our nation's history. His legacy as a human rights lawyer and public servant will continue to inspire generations of Filipinos to fight for a more just and equitable society," the progressive group said.
Both the late Saguisag and Makabayan bloc were staunch critics of the Duterte administration's drug war.
Saguisag, a human rights lawyer, was among the prominent jurists of the Movement of Attorneys from Brotherhood, Integrity, and Nationalism, which provided free legal services to those illegally arrested or to relatives of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings.
Saguisag's family has asked for privacy but vowed to announce the details of the wake soon.
