The pattern of capitalization continues...

Roco must be turning on his grave. From the Tribune:

President Arroyo is not about to kick the habit of capitalizing on the dead to advance her own brand of political necrophilia.

The Chief Executive had told of then Pope John Paul II blessing her power grab in the works, when she was still Vice President, against then sitting President Joseph Estrada.

Now, she is using the death of former senator and twice presidential aspirant Raul Roco as a rallying cry for a political ceasefire.

In an official statement yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo said Roco's death must help foster “unity and oneness,” claiming that, during the late senator's lifetime, he only advocated the people's welfare.

“I hope that his death, sad and untimely as it maybe, will be an opportunity for our people to reflect upon the need for unity and reconciliation behind truth and justice. In his fight for these high principles, Raul Roco never sought to harm or destroy, but to redeem and build up the nation,” she stressed.

“His memory will always remind us to want nothing else but the welfare and interest of the Filipino people, whom we humbly join in mourning his death. Let this be a moment of peace for the people,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President, however, kept quiet on reports that even in his last days, Roco was very vocal in supporting calls for her to resign.

During a recent radio interview, Roco's vice presidential candidate in the May 2004 elections, former Rep. Herminio Aquino, revealed that days before his death, the former senator had been outspoken in backing the calls for Mrs. Arroyo to step down, citing the current political crisis.

“Before everyone went to the streets and demanded President Arroyo's resignation, Senator Roco was the first one who demanded her resignation, he aired his concerns on the current political crisis even if his health was deteriorating,” Aquino said.

When asked about this over the weekend, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said they will just stick to their praises for Roco, describing him as a good leader who became an inspiration to all.

Mrs. Arroyo had also used the death of former Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin last June in asking her opponents to stop their alleged “destabilization efforts” against her administration.

UPDATE: Huwag gamitin si Roco

Sa halip na matuwa, tila nasuka pa ang mga kongresista sa party-list group sa tangkang paggamit ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa pagkamatay ni dating Senador Raul Roco para isulong ang reconciliation.

Ayon kay Anak-pawis party-list Rep. Crispin Beltran, sa halip na igalang ni Arroyo ang pagkamatay ni Roco na kanyang nakalaban noong presidential derby, sinusubukan pa umano ng Pangulo na gamitin ito para sa sariling kapakanan.

"President Arroyo has no shame at all and should be castigated for insulting his memory and using his death to issue a self-serving but false call of unity," pahayag ni Beltran.