Andy didn't like speeches. But I would have renounced a duty if I did not share a personal view of a man, whose principles would outlive him.
I am a witness to a soul who lived a life of peace and ended it in peace. 30 years of marriage have left me blessed and thankful that I had known a man, who lived by the wisdom of silence and fortitude. Tomorrow would have been our 31st anniversary. Even in his painful moments experiencing his illness, he remained steadfast and willed our family to be prayerful. And while he had served most of his life abroad, he willed to come home to his humble hometown. Two days after we arrived in Lanao last Nov. 6, he succumbed to his last breath at the ICU. He was 56. It was a blessed Thursday, 1 am on the first ten days of the Holy Month of Ramadhan. We pray he goes to heaven.
In Islam, you leave three things behind - charity or mosque, believing children and knowledge. The latter, my husband left as a legacy. To a generation who strive for identity, for recognition, for stability in a commercialized global scene, Candidato was an epitome of hard work won up the ladder.
Born of humble beginnings in a tribalistic hometown, Andy hails from a barrio road in Cawayan, Marantao, Lanao del Sur. This area he would trek an hour everyday to reach his alma mater, the American run-Dansalan highschool in Marawi City. Without a mother at the age of 1, he was the youngest of a brood of 6. A shy but determined child, he showed love for learning at a young age. He read even while he was at the comfort room. Not only intelligent, he showed domesticity - even at home, he volunteered household chores. This he would bring to his school days as a working student to augment his school needs.
He reaped the fruits he so humbly had sown - he was valedictorian in elementary and highschool, cum laude in college at the University of the East and was among the top 20 in the bar examinations. Indeed, self-made, as the Lanao Acting Governor described him. And while hundreds of his fellow Commission on National Integration (CNI) scholars sought for jobs in the 70s, the young lawyer who once wanted to teach in the Mindanao State University was invited to work for the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia, starting his illustrious 30 year stint in the foreign service.
We were neighbours in Marinaut, Marawi City where he shifted residence during his Manila-bound days. Back at my PWU alma mater, the young dashing Maranao lawyer was then popular. The only lawyer in his clan, his name was engraved in their Marawi home. You can still see it today. We didn't know each other well since we never bumped into each other. But fate had its course as his family arranged for his proposal. We were married on November 19, 1972.
Our first months in Saudi were a struggle. Coming from clannish societies, the new environment was a challenge. But that did not deter Andy from continuing to dream -he went on a US scholarship, being the first Muslim-Filipino to study at the prestigious Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Returning to Saudi, he eventually rose up to the ranks of the foreign service landing as Minister Chancellor after more than a decade of service. Under his term, thousands of Filipinos were employed in the Middle East on the eve of the oil boom in the 70s. Beyond the embassy, our home was refuge to run-away maltreated OCWs, undocumented Filipinos, Muslim pilgrims and so forth.
He was not only a seasoned diplomat and a committed professional, he was also a good husband. In our 30 years of marriage, I saw Andy to be consistently soft-spoken, humble, loyal and a perfect gentleman. In intrigue-laden posts such as Saudi, Andy veered away from the politics of it all by maintaining a safe distance. He detested empty talk and believed in less talk, less mistake. A generous father, he also taught his five children the virtues of hard work, independence and patience, encouraging them to study further and further.
His name fits him well. He was no candidate for politics, even if his relatives would have wanted it. Instead he was a candidate for paragon virtue, a pillar to many, who seek inspiration.
Man is indeed judged by his deeds. With our coming home to Marawi to bury his body, we were met by overwhelming love and support from all corners of the country, converging in our home province. Tributes ranged from across the spectrum - government officials to rebel leaders. Relatives from as far as Manila, Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga came. Prayers from the Middle East and Mecca reached us.His greatness lies in his not wanting it. He stood out without asking for it.
We thank him for being what we all want to be . We pray his legacy of hard work and ethics continue, especially to an aspiring Muslim generation, replete with untapped talent. In a world clouded by terrorism , this would bridge the barriers of culture and misperception. We hope the department continues to support the entry of Mindanawans and Muslims in the foreign service in an effort to democratize and make representative the department.
We pray that his soul rests.
Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuuhu
DR. TOMANINA ALI GUTOC is the wife of the late Ambassador Candidato Gutoc. This piece was the speech she delivered during his husband's memorian held at the DFA Auditorium, Pasay City last Nov. 18, 2003
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