Obituaries 2022

Brazilians bid a final farewell this week to football giant Pele, starting Monday with a 24-hour public wake at the stadium of his long-time team, Santos.

The oceanside home of the team nicknamed "Peixe" -- "fish" in Portuguese -- is expecting a huge influx of fans looking to honor the "King" of football, who died aged 82 on Thursday after a long battle with cancer.

Stadium doors will open at 10:00 am local time (1300 GMT). The coffin bearing the remains of the only player to have won three World Cups will be displayed in the center of the field.

Known as Vila Belmiro after the neighborhood where it is located, the black-and-white stadium has a capacity of 16,000 people. — AFP

Former Pope Benedict XVI is dead, Vatican says.

Pioneering television journalist Barbara Walters, who upended a male-dominated industry as the first woman to anchor an evening news show in the United States, died on Friday at the age of 93, her long-time employer ABC says.

Walters interviewed a host of US presidents, foreign leaders such as Anwar Sadat and Fidel Castro, and A-list celebrities in a hugely successful career that spanned five decades -- becoming a touchstone of American culture in the process.

She died at her home in New York, tweeted Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, ABC's parent company. — AFP

The family of Jovit Baldevino confirms that the singer died due to aneurysm.

In a statement through Jerry Telan, Jovit's former handler in Star Magic as shared by ABS-CBN reporter MJ Felipe, it was revealed that the singer was recuperating for a week with hypertension maintenance medicines.

"Then he was invited by a family friend from Batangas City. Doctor’s advice not to sing while recuperating. Knowing 'Bundoy' (Jovit), he gave in to clamor of the crowd. He sang 3 signature songs including Faithfully by Journey. He was gasping for breath on the 3rd song," the statement reads.

"After an hour while sitting, his face was deformed with flowing salivas. He was then rushed to the nearest ER at Nazareth of Jesus Hospital last December 3, 2022 around 10pm," it adds.

A CT scan showed a blood clot in his brain, a sign of aneurysm. He was in comatose for five days and died on December 9, Jovit's family says.

Former Batangas Vice Gov. Ricky Recto has passed away, his brother House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto says.

“We are touched by your kind words and prayers, but in the meantime, we ask for the time and space to grieve in private,” Recto adds.

He also says a simple memorial is being discussed and details may be announced soon. — Xave Gregorio

Former Batangas Gov. Ricky Recto has died, his brother House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto announces @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/XxlaJPFm1H

— Xave Gregorio (@XaveGregorio) December 6, 2022

Sylvia La Torre, dubbed as the First Lady of Philippine Television and Queen of Kundiman, passed away Thursday, December 1, her granddaughter Anna Maria Perez de Tagle says.

She was 89.

Jean-Luc Godard, the father of the French New Wave and one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century, has died "peacefully at home" aged 91, his family said Tuesday. 

The legendary maverick blew up the conventions of cinema in the 1960s with a series of radical films such as "Breathless" starring Jean Seberg and "Contempt" with Brigitte Bardot.

"No official (funeral) ceremony will take place," his family said. "He will be cremated." — AFP

Bassist Alec John Such, a founding member of Bon Jovi who played with the group in their 1980s heyday, has died aged 70, the rock band's frontman announced Sunday.

With a string of quickly memorable hits such as "Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Wanted Dead or Alive," Bon Jovi packed arenas in the 1980s on their marathon, pyrotechnic-fueled tours.

The hard rockers from New Jersey were led by namesake Jon Bon Jovi, who said Sunday that the band had "found our way to each other thru him." 

"As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band," the singer said in a statement on Twitter. — AFP

Alec, you will be missed pic.twitter.com/ilfTeYyQhR

— Bon Jovi (@BonJovi) June 5, 2022

Sen. Grace Poe announces the funeral arrangements for her mother, "Queen of Philippine Movies" Susan Roces, who died Friday evening, May 20.

 Public viewing will start on Sunday, May 22 until Tuesday, May 24 at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.

Queen of Philippine movies, Susan Roces, has passed away, according to Sen. Grace Poe. She was 80.

"With great sadness, we announce the loss of our beloved Jesusa Sonora Poe, whom many of you know as Susan Roces." Sen. Poe says in a statement. 

"She passed away peacefully on a Friday evening, May 20, 2022, surrounded by love and warmth, with her daughter Grace, her nephews Joseph and Jeffrey and many of her family and close friends," she adds.

Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana has passed away, the Department of Foreign Affairs says.

The DFA says it offers its condolences to the family and loved ones of Sta. Romana, who was appointed as the country's envoy to China in December 2016.

"Under his distinguished tenure, Philippine-China relations flourished despite differences; indeed the flowered all the more in maturity and were deeply strengthened," the DFA says.

Read: #DFAStatement on the Passing of Philippine Ambassador to China, His Excellency Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana: https://t.co/e77pPy6qVp pic.twitter.com/e98baLSqS9

— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) April 19, 2022

Madeleine Albright "turned the tide of history," President Joe Biden said Wednesday in homage to the former US secretary of state after her death, at the age of 84.

"Madeleine Albright was a force. Hers were the hands that turned the tide of history," Biden said in a statement.

Touching on one of his own most passionate themes, Biden said Albright "knew personally and wrote powerfully of the perils of autocracy."

"America had no more committed champion of democracy and human rights." — AFP

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