Maniego, 50

MANILA, Philippines - Sports columnist and broadcaster Butch Maniego passed away last Sunday due to lingering illness. He was 50. 

Maniego first worked in the radio panel of the PBA before eventually jumping to television broadcast, first as a courtside reporter, and later on as play-by-play anchor.

Maniego left the PBA to join ABS-CBN, which launched the Metropolitan Basketball Association, a regional pro league that rivaled the PBA in 1998.

When the MBA closed shop in 2002, Maniego moved to the Philippine Basketball League where he was appointed executive director until it was shut down in 2010.

Maniego was the tournament supervisor of the fledgling PBA D-League at the time of his death.

Maniego also wrote a column for Spin.ph dedicated to college basketball entitled “That Old College Spirit.”

His remains now lie at the Chapel Lily of the Valley (211) of the Sanctuarium along Araneta Ave. in Quezon City. Cremation will be on Friday.