By BEN R. ROSARIO
February 4, 2012, 8:03pm
http://www.mb.com.ph/MANILA, Philippines — A reported plan by the long-time companion of Congressman Ignacio “Iggy†T. Arroyo to have his remains cremated has ratcheted up the dispute between two women claiming the body.
Alicia Rita “Aleli†Morales Arroyo, the estranged wife of the Negros Occidental representative who died last January 26 after a long bout with liver cancer, had flown to London to bring home her husband’s body.
She was expecting to be back in Manila with the remains with her last night.
But Mrs. Arroyo ran into complications in London, particularly after the funeral parlor refused to turn over the body to her.
Former starlet Grace Ibuna, who has been living with the congressman for the past six years, has somehow prevailed on the director of the funeral parlor not to release the body to the wife.
It was Ibuna who reportedly asked doctors to remove Arroyo from the life support system after he was declared brain dead.
A member of the Arroyo family in Manila who requested anonymity said he has received information that Ibuna was even planning to cremate Arroyo’s remains.
Before she left for London, Mrs. Arroyo had laid out the funeral and burial plans for her husband, contracted the services of the Loyola Memorial Services whose personnel waited in vain at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the body to arrive Saturday.
Mrs. Arroyo also gave express orders not to allow Ibuna to attend any of the rites.
Asked to verify the report on the planned cremation, violinist John Lesaca, husband of Iggy Arroyo’s sister, former congresswoman Marilou Arroyo, said the family has yet to get confirmation from London, but he stressed that former First Gentleman Jose Miguel and Marilou were opposed to it.
“We all want to see him,†said Lesaca who pointed out that the Arroyo siblings agreed to defer to the wishes of Aleli Arroyo with regards the funeral arrangements.
It was not immediately known if the cremation had already been carried out.
Mrs. Arroyo has threatened to file criminal charges against Ibuna, saying it was her husband’s wish to be taken to their family home in La Vista, Quezon City, and buried beside his mother at the Manila North Cemetery.
Ibuna and her father, former San Juan City Mayor Nicanor Ibuna, have reportedly hired a British lawyer to stop the funeral parlor from turning over the body to Mrs. Arroyo and officials of the Philippine embassy to the Court of St. James.
Officials of the parlor have demanded from Mrs. Arroyo proof that she remains the legal wife, not Ibuna, who allegedly passed herself off as the spouse and the next of kin.
Even the London Clinic reportedly got instructions from Ibuna when doctors decided on Thursday to remove the comatose Arroyo from the life support system.
Representations made by embassy officials were ignored by the funeral parlor which apparently made the decision to avoid legal issues that may be brought against it by Ibuna’s lawyer.
“Even the Philippine embassy was shocked. Lorna and Aleli would not have flown to London if papers were not order,†said Irene Garcia, the associate of Lorna Kapunan, Mrs. Arroyo’s lawyer.
Garcia said that Aleli received assurance from embassy officials that the body was ready for repatriation, but the widow was dismayed when the funeral director “flip-flopped†because Ibuna allegedly ordered cremation.
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