On June 21, 2019, the late veteran actor and former Philippine Scout member Eddie Garcia has been accorded honors and recognition by The Philippine Army (PA) during his memorial service at the Heritage Park in Taguig City, a military spokesperson shared.
Apparently, long before being a well-known member of the entertainment industry, Garcia was already part of the Philippine Scouts with the United States Army in Japan. Passing away at 90 years old, he was deployed to Okinawa, Japan after World War II when he was younger and was evidently a military policeman.
The Philippine Army has cited Garcia’s son Erwin sharing in a statement that his father was only 19 when he volunteered to be part of the Philippine Scouts.
“His deployment ceremony was held in Luneta, that was why he wished his ashes to be scattered in Manila Bay,” Erwin shares.
As reported by GMA News, at the beloved actor’s memorial service, the army had sent soldiers to honor him. A folded Philippine flag was laid before his ashes and lawmakers have apparently also asked the military into rendering a half-mast flag and corresponding military honors to the actor.
The military honors included soldiers taking turns to guard the late actor and even involved a “Changing of the Guard.”
According to reports, Lt. Col. Ramon P. Zagala, the Army’s spokesperson, shared Garcia’s final wish “speaks of his love of the noble profession of arms, despite his short-lived military career.” To add to that, Garcia spoke fondly of his desire to become a soldier where he reportedly supported different initiatives and projects by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Army spokesperson stated.
“He is an inspiration and an example that one does not have to be a soldier in order to serve the country,” he said.
Full military honors will be given to multi-awarded actor Eddie Garcia, his stepson 1-Pacman Partylist Rep. Michael “Mikee” Romero said, according to The Manila Times.
We give you our respect as well, Eddie Garcia
