“Sa Thursday pa ang libing ni Susan dahil hinihintay pa si Rosemarie mula sa Amerika (Susan will still be buried on Thursday because her family still waits for Rosemarie from US),” declared veteran entertainment newshen Alice Vergara who has been regularly going to Heritage Park where the body of actress Susan Roces lies in state.
Susan, Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora Poe in real life, succumbed to cardiopulmonary arrest on May 20, 2022.
Alice, who has been covering Susan in her entertainment writing beat since the early 60s said that Roces has been an essential part of her showbiz and non-showbiz life.
“Madalas kong i-cover si Swanie noon pa. May certain closeness kami n’yan (I regularly covered Swanie even then. We had a certain bonding),” volunteered Vergara who was an active contributor of Nation and Graphic Magazines in the 1960s.
According to Alice, the Sonoras are very closely knit.
While Rosemarie wasn’t in the country yet, her daughter Sheryl Cruz is nightly holding vigil for her aunt.
Susan will be laid to rest beside her husband, Fernando Poe, Jr. in the family’s mausoleum at the Manila North Cemetery.
Aside from Sheryl, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, one of the senators of the land and Susan and FPJ’s only daughter is the main host of the wake.
Among the well-wishers who have paid last respects to the Queen of Philippine Movies were Sharon Cuneta, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Tirso Cruz III, Lorna Tolentino, Imelda Papin, Lyn Madrigal, Zeny Marcelo-Poe, Dolor Guevarra, Lyn Ynchausti, former Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva, Mitch Valdes and many more.
Meanwhile, the Senate has adopted Resolution 1002 which expressed the chamber’s sympathy on the passing of Susan.