aka: Cocoy Gabriel
(He's seen in the above photo second row from the rear, fourth from the left).
Despite the muddy image he painted on himself during his last few years, I'd like to remember his good sides known perhaps to only a few.
He is best remembered by his classmates at Central School, as 'kadto gong mokomkom sa iyang utot aron ipasimhot sa uban'.
He was a care-free child and young lad.
I've known him since we were kids.
We grew up together in Ibabao, played the same games, went to the same school, and above all shared our days of innocence in the revolutionary decade of the 60s.
He was my buddy 'mamasol'; and 'manglakiti'.
When we both became men and have families of our own, he was always there whenever we are home in Aloran.
It's sad that to many he died leaving less-than-pleasant memories.
But little did he know that to some of us, he was a friend, and to me, a true one.