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The Longest March The following day, reacting on the insistence of Cory Aquino, then a plain citizen awaiting the result of the just-concluded political exercises held Feb 7, EBJ's corpse was brought to Manila. Upon arrival, a hero's welcome was accorded by thousands of weeping mourners, many of whom did not even know, see or meet EBJ in person. From the airstrip, a motorcade escorted the casket to the Perpetual Help Shrine in Baclaran where a mass was held. Cory was among the teeming mourners who waited and welcomed the Antique hero at the church where he was lain overnight. The next day, EBJ's body was moved to the Ateneo de Manila University Chapel and the funeral cortege was joined by thousands who milled the routes and sidelanes as the bier inched onward through the South Superhighway and Magsaysay Boulevard. "Evelio We Are Proud Of You!" read a banner carried by sympathizers sporting yellow headbands. Javier's flag-draped casket, atop a ten-wheeler truck, was surrounded with flowers and yellow ribbons. Confetti were showered from high buildings as the bier moved onward amidst the shout of "Evelio Hindi Ka Nag-Iisa" (Evelio, you’re not alone). The cortege, spanning three kms. long, took almost nine hours as people uncontrollably kept swelling the routes. (Majority of those who answered Cardinal Sin's call a few days after, were the same people who joined the funeral march from Baclaran to Quezon City). Rev. Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J., Ateneo president, welcomed anew the fallen hero to the folds of his institution citing his dedication, loyalty and honesty to the highest standard of perfection that the school stands for. EBJ, when still alive, wished to have the longest funeral cortege when his destiny shall have claimed him. His wish, after all, was granted when on Feb 17, 1986, his followers accompanied his bier in a 20-hour caravan that traversed twelve northern towns in Antique from Caticlan airstrip in Aklan enroute to San Jose, the capital of Antique.
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