Biyernes Santo nang bawian ng buhay si Rico Yan noong Marso 29, 2002, at ngayong Biyernes Santo, Marso 29, 2024, ginugunita ng mga nagmamahal sa kanya ang ika-22 na anibersaryo ng kanyang kamatayan.
Si Rico Yan ay batang matinee idol noong panahong iyon. Guapo, clean cut and image, tubong La Salle, maamo ang mukha, at kilalang boyfriend ni Claudine Barretto, ang pinaka-prize talent sa hanay ng young stars ng ABS-CBN.
Tandang-tanda ng writer na ito na hapon ng Biyernes Santo noong 2022 nang kumalat ang balitang pumanaw ni Rico, na 27 taong gulang lamang, sa Dos Palmas Resort, Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Lumitaw ang sari-saring haka-haka sa sanhi ng pagkamatay ni Rico, pero sinabi ng kanyang tiyo, ang dating chief director ng National Capital Region Police Office na si Edgar Aglipay, na acute hemorrhagic pancreatis, o bangungot, ang ikinamatay ng pamangkin sa kanyang edad.
Read: Rico Yan: Revisiting his brief life and career
Nadagdagan ng kontrobersiya ang pagpanaw ni Rico dahil noon lang lumitaw ang katotohanang hiwalay na sila ng karelasyong si Claudine nang sumakabilang-buhay ito.
Inabangan ng lahat ang pagdalaw ni Claudine sa burol ni Rico sa La Salle, Greenhills, San Juan City. Inasahan ng marami na magiging malamig ang reception ng pamilya Yan kay Claudine habang ang pamilya Barretto ay tense na tense naman.
Nang dumating nga si Claudine, pinag-usapan ito nang husto.
Nag-uumpisa na noon ang papatinding network war sa pagitan ng ABS-CBN at GMA-7. Parehong mga contract stars ng ABS-CBN sina Rico at Claudine, pero ang GMA-7 talent na si Paolo Bediones, host ng showbiz talk show na S-Files, ang kasama ng aktres nang bumisita ito sa unang pagkakataon sa burol ng kanyang namayapang kasintahan.
Dahil nagkaroon ng partisipasyon si Paolo sa pagdalaw ni Claudine sa burol ni Rico, nakipag-ugnayan sa kanya ang Cabinet Files ngayong Biyernes, Marso 29, 2024, para muling ibahagi ang naging karanasan nito sa coverage.
Nagsimula ang anchor/businessman sa paglalarawan sa namayapang aktor:
"First off, I can’t believe it’s been that long since Rico Yan passed away. I remember I was just starting in television in the late '90s, and he always struck me as someone very down to earth and extremely humble despite his success.
"He would find time to greet people and sometimes even chat with me a bit."
May blockbuster films din si Rico katambal si Claudine.
Kaya hindi kataka-takang nagluksa ang buong bansa.
Para sa mga kagaya ni Paolo na nasa media, napakalaking coverage nito.
"The tragedy made national headlines, and in a day and age when social media was non-existent, the outpouring and love from young and old alike was next to unprecedented.
"The admiration and adulation for the young man was well-deserved and extremely warranted.
"I remember how it all started as a developing story, just rumors of a matinee idol passing away while on vacation.
"Then when reports started trickling in from various sources after several long hours, and it was confirmed, it was all about trying to get the best coverage for both the news and our show at that time, S-Files."
Read:Rico Yan: remembering the matinee idol we lost in 2002
Saka siya nagkuwento tungkol sa network war noon, at isiniwalat na rin ang natanggap na "biggest assignment."
Sa pagpapatuloy ni Paolo: "We knew two things at that time: first, the network war was at its peak, meaning ABS-CBN would make sure to get all the exclusives.
"Second, we wanted to focus on our own coverage, making sure to remain as sensitive, compassionate, and responsible as we could be given the circumstances. I recall many discussions on what we should and shouldn’t do."
Dagdag nito: "So different from the world we live in now."
Aniya pa: "The biggest assignment for me that day was being able to get an exclusive interview with Claudine in her van while she was on her way to Rico’s wake.
"To be honest, I was so uncomfortable at that time, but I knew what I had to do, and Claudine made me feel welcome and kept it together while we were having a conversation on camera,” ang rekoleksyon ni Paolo na nagtagumpay mainterbyu si Claudine.
Read: Claudine Barretto posts old letter from late ex-boyfriend Rico Yan
Eksklusibong napanood ang panayam ni Paolo sa S-Files, kung saan main host si Paolo, kasama sina Janice de Belen at Lyn Ching.
Katapat nito ang ABS-CBN talk show na The Buzz, kung saan main hosts sina Boy Abunda at Kris Aquino.
Sa mga hindi na naabutan si Rico, ito ang gustong sabihin ni Paolo:
"The next few days was a testament to Rico’s legacy at such a young age. The throngs of people who lined up to attend his wake and funeral and Gary Valenciano’s tribute of 'Warrior is a Child' left no eyes dry in their homes and offices.
"Twenty two-years have passed since then, yet through the marvels of technology the younger genarations can still enjoy and appreciate his work on film and television.
"He was much bigger than just that though. Who he was off-camera is something much of the youth nowadays can learn and grow from.”