Paquito Diaz dies, 78

MANILA, Philippines - Paquito Diaz, one of the country’s “most hated” kontrabidas, succumbed to pneumonia at 9:45 Thursday night at his residence in Daraga, Albay. He was 78.

Only a week ago, a tabloid reported that Paquito had died, prompting his wife Nena (sister of actor Bob Soler) to comment that when a person is rumored to have died, it meant that he would live longer.

Paquito had been wheelchair-bound after he suffered a stroke in 2004 that paralyzed him. He was one of FPJ’s favorite kontrabida. In 1965, he won a FAMAS Best Supporting Actor award for Ang Mananandata, an FPJ starrer. His brother Romy Diaz, also a kontrabida, died a few years ago.

Introduced in Premiere Productions’ Pandora in 1955, Paquito graduated from FEU where he was a basketball player.

When he was diagnosed with pneumonia, Paquito was confined at the ICU of a hospital in Albay. He got better and was brought home where he died.

Paquito is survived also by his children, among them actors Cheska and Joko; and 14 grandchildren.

His remains are at the Salvacion Funeral Homes in Legazpi City. They will be transferred to the Funeraria Paz at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City tomorrow, March 6, and will be cremated.