Senate pays last respects to late Senator John Osmeña

Past and present senators on Thursday paid their last respects to the late Senator John Henry "Sonny" Osmeña, who passed away at 86 on February 2.

A necrological service was held at the Senate session hall in honor of the late senator, attended by his family, friends, and colleagues.

In his eulogy, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that although leaders are made and not born, Osmeña was born to lead and even "mastered it along the way."

Osmeña came from the prominent Osmeña political clan in Cebu, and was the grandson of former President Sergio Osmeña, the brother of former Cebu Governor Emilio Osmeña, and the cousin of former Senator Sergio Osmeña III and former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

"He was really independent-minded and fearless. Independent-mindedness and fierce stance even if the odds were not in his way. If he took a stand, he held on to it no matter what. Truly a man of conviction, that is what he is," Sotto said.

Meanwhile, former Senator Nikki Coseteng said Osmeña left "a wealth of friends, experiences, lessons in politics, legislative accomplishments, expert grasp of reality, and outlook on life as I think should be, but perhaps isn’t, or couldn’t be."

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon expressed gratitude for his friendship with Osmeña, which he said "transcended politics and stayed strong through the years."

"Senator Sonny Osmeña was a politician who marched to the beat of his own drum. He earned the moniker, Senate's lone ranger, because of his fearlessness, his independence, his advocacy against graft and corruption in the government," he said.

"Sonny Osmeña was an ultimate politician, a colorful personality, a realist, and a reformer," Drilon added.

The Senate also presented to the Osmeña family a resolution honoring the late senator and expressing the chamber's sympathies and condolences over his passing.

Osmeña won a Senate seat in 1972 but was unable to serve as senator because he went on exile after then-President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law.

He also served as senator from 1987 to 1995, and from 1998 to 2004. He also served as Cebu representative from 1970 to 1972, and mayor of Toledo City.

Also during Marcos' regime, Osmeña’s legs were injured in an attack during the Liberal Party’s miting de avance at Plaza Miranda.

The former senator was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in July 2019. He underwent chemotherapy and responded well to treatment. In June 2020, he tested positive and recovered from COVID-19.

Osmeña was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men in 1970 for his government service. —KBK, GMA News