Why Reyes shot himself in heart: ‘Extreme courage’
By Cynthia Balana, Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:55:00 02/10/2011
MANILA, Philippines—Angelo Reyes’ act of taking his life by shooting himself in the chest showed “extreme courage,†and not weakness, according to a three-star general who served with him in the Armed Forces.
“Honor, to people like General Reyes, is of great[er] value than life itself, and they’re willing to give their lives to defend that honor,†retired Philippine Navy chief Mateo Mayuga told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Tuesday night at the wake.
Mayuga said that while men generally committed suicide with a shot to the head, Reyes aimed the gun at his heart, bursting the aorta.
When people swear to tell the truth, “they swear with all their heart,†said Mayuga, a retired vice admiral. “It was an act of extreme courage, an act that a non-military mind will never understand.â€
Mayuga was Reyes’ chief of staff when the latter was commanding general of the AFP Civil Relations Service from 1994 to 1995. He is now chair and chief executive officer of Glenn Defense Marine Asia Phils. Inc., a marine logistics and husbanding company.
Military mind
“Ang tapang ni Sir Angie (He was so brave). It showed his strength of character. It was a shot to the heart, not to the head, to show that he was not out of his mind when he did it,†Mayuga mused, adding:
“People like you and me will never understand it. I am just an ordinary mortal. He belonged to a different league of distinguished individuals who value honor more than life. You have to look at it from a military point of view.â€
More at:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110210-319448/Why-Reyes-shot-himself-in-heart-Extreme-courageLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=37516.0