‘He’s more like a father to us,’ says sister of slain soldier

Inquirer Mindanao
May 27th, 2013

ZAMBOANGA CITY—“No one’s going to say ‘good morning.’ No one’s going to ask if we still have food in the house.”

This was how Rosalyn Lorin described life without her younger brother, 2nd Lt. Alfredo Lorin VI.

The 26-year-old Marine officer, “Limboy” to his family and friends, was one of the seven soldiers killed in a clash with Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu, on Saturday.

“He sent text messages asking if our parents still had food. He always said that if we were running short of food, he could always send us money. Every time he visited us, he left every penny of his allowance and he would always assure us that he could manage,” Rosalyn said in Iriga City in Camarines Sur.

In a telephone interview with the Inquirer, Rosalyn said Limboy’s salary went to their mother and he made sure that the parents were all right while he was away.

Lorin was the sixth among eight siblings. His four elder brothers are married and have since left home. He also supported the education of his two younger brothers.

“He’s more like a father to us, even if I am older than him,” Rosalyn said.

Limboy graduated valedictorian in elementary school and secured a high school scholarship.

“At a young age, he was already a working student. We are very poor. His dream was to have a good job and build a decent home for my parents. Our parents are jobless and are already old,” Rosalyn said.

Breaking the news to their parents was hard, Rosalyn said. “One of the older brothers agreed to break the news gradually. Unfortunately, the one who was tasked to speak to my mother was the first to cry. My father is still in shock right now,” she said.

Rosalyn said even if they were devastated, they have to accept their brother’s fate.

“Maybe that’s the only task given to him by God—the task to touch everyone’s hearts and to remind us that life is precious and we need to strive harder,” Rosalyn said.—Julie S. Alipala

Querubin granted provisional liberty

MANILA, Philippines - More than 4 years after being placed in military custody, former Marine Col. Ariel Querubin walked free Wednesday after the military leadership granted him provisional liberty.

Querubin, a recipient of the highest military decoration Medal of Valor, is facing trial before a military tribunal for his participation in the February 2006 Marine standoff. Before his release, he attended Mass at Camp Aguinaldo church and then proceeded to Ateneo to fetch his children.

In a press briefing, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said the military's Judge Advocate General recommended to Armed Forces' chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo David that Querubin be given provisional liberty.

"This was actually the initiative of the Armed Forces, to study and to look into the possibility of giving him freedom. It was recommended by our lawyers particularly the Judge Advocate General that he be given provisional liberty," Mabanta told reporters.

The military spokesman said Querubin will be turned over to Brig. Gen. Reynaldo M Ordoňez, chief of the Armed Forces Office of Defense Reforms. He said Querubin will remain free as long as he attends all court hearings related to the mutiny charge filed against him.

Querubin is the last military officer linked to the February 2006 Marine standoff to have been given temporary freedom.

Two other accused - former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim - were also granted provisional liberty, with Miranda being placed under the care of current Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban while Lim was placed under the care of Ordoñez.

Both Querubin and Lim are deemed resigned from active military service when they filed their certificates of candidacy for senator in the May 2010 elections. Querubin ran under the Nacionalista Party banner while Lim was included in the Liberal Party ticket. Both lost in the 2010 senatorial race.

Querubin earlier thanked the AFP leadership, particularly military chief of staff David, for "offering the olive branch and heeding the call of the new administration."

He said he cannot wait to be a family man once again after being away from his loved ones for the last 4 years.

“I think I have to catch up with my kids, my family. I’ll go direct to the house and start my duties as a father effective today.”

Asked if he wants to try to join the political arena again, he replied: “As of now, I have yet to entertain that idea.”

He also revealed that he has been getting many job offers. “I think there’s life after the service. In fact there are so many offers. It's just a matter of choosing the right job,” he noted.