Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) — Former Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali passed away Thursday morning due to cardiac arrest, his brother announced.
He died almost a month after he was diagnosed with both COVID-19 and cancer, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Alfonso Umali told DZBB radio.
“Noong December 12, nagpa-check up siya, doon nakita na may COVID na siya. Tapos nakita na may Stage 3 cancer siya,” Umali bared. “Tapos ilang days lang, na-aggravate, naging Stage 4 liver cancer.”
[Translation: Last December 12, he went for a check-up, and was diagnosed with COVID-19, and eventually, Stage 3 cancer. A few days after, it aggravated into Stage 4 liver cancer.”
Since then, the former lawmaker’s condition further worsened until he was taken to the ICU on December 21 and had to be intubated five days later.
“Kahapon, nakakita ng bacteria sa kanyang liver. Ngayong umaga, bumaba na ang dugo niya tapos nag-cardiac arrest kaninang umaga,” Umali said.
[Translation: Yesterday, bacteria was detected in his liver. This morning, his blood pressure went down and he had a cardiac arrest.]
The former congressman, who served the second district of Oriental Mindoro for three terms, was 63 years old.
He was the chair of the House energy committee in the 16th Congress. As justice panel chair in the 17th Congress, he oversaw the proceedings that later led to the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
