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BAGUIO CITY: The Armed Forces of the Philippines
mourns the untimely death of Lt. Ariel Toledo, the valedictorian of
the Philippine Military Academy “Mandala” Class of 2006, who
died of cancer at the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City on Wednesday.
The passing away of Toledo, 26
years old, was also a great loss to thousands of villagers in Sto.
Domingo, Ilocos Sur, the hometown of the young military officer, who
was expected by his townmates to bring them honor as AFP chief of
staff in the future.
Toledo was considered a
“hero” for proving to his “mistahs” in the PMA that poverty
is not an obstacle to academic and military excellence.
His death was painful for the
four older sisters, who worked as domestic helpers abroad to finance
his studies.
In an interview with Baguio
journalists at Fort Del Pilar a week before he graduated on March
25, 2006, Toledo confirmed he belonged to a “poor” family of
eight children. He said his brothers and sisters served as his
parents since grade school, after their father died. Their mother
died in 2001.
“My resolve to be in the
military service made me excel and I’m so thankful for all their
support,” he said.
In his valedictory address,
Toledo thanked his sisters Beth, Cita, Ely and Immaculada, saying
“If not for them, I doubt if I would make it [as class
valedictorian] in the PMA.”
At that time, Toledo also urged
his classmates “to be ready to protect the people and the
Constitution [and be on] guard against forces that harm the common
good.”
When Toledo returned to Sto.
Domingo after his graduation, he was accorded a hero’s welcome by
municipal officials and close to 29,000 people from all walks of
life at the Peoples Coliseum.
--Harley Palangchao
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