CEBU, Philippines - Inayawan former barangay captain Tarciano Jaca succumbed to cancer of the lungs last Thursday after almost two weeks of being confined at the hospital.
He died at Chong Hua Hospital at 10 a.m., about five months after his wife, then Cebu City accountant Edna Jaca, who died from the same ailment last May 27.
Tarciano served as barangay captain of Inayawan for one term from 1998 until 2002, then he became the campaign manager of the opposition Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug).
A relative of the Jacas told The FREEMAN that the former barangay captain was brought to the hospital by middle of October after he complained of difficulties in breathing. However, after spending two weeks in bed, he went out of the hospital just before the All Saints Day.
But on Thursday morning, he rushed to the hospital again for similar reason and failed to survive.
Guadalupe barangay captain and Association of Barangay Councils president Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar said the death of the Jaca couple should serve a good lesson to smokers.
“Nagtoo g’yod ko nga kadto si Edna nga asawa sa kapitan nasakit to og cancer kay sige nga makahanggap sa aso gikan sa sigarilyo sa iyang bana. Dunay nag-ingon nga mas grabe pa nga makadaut ang aso nga ibuga gikan sa baba sa tawo nga hinabako,” Faelnar said. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (FREEMAN NEWS)