Ex-SolGen Frank Chavez passes away at 66

MANILA, Philippines - Former Solicitor General Frank Chavez died of a stroke on Wednesday night. He was 66.

Chavez, who pursued cases against former presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, died at 10 p.m. at The Medical City in Pasig City.

The hard-hitting lawyer, who served as Solicitor General from 1987 to 1992, has been battling lymphoma since 2009.

Chavez had been confined at The Medical City hospital since July 1, where he had undergone a bone-marrow transplant.

The wife of the former solicitor general, Jean, said that his remains were cremated at 2 a.m. Thursday. It will be brought to the Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park, Makati City.

The human rights lawyer will be buried at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on Sunday.

Chavez filed plunder complaints against Arroyo and her husband the past years most notably for her alleged misuse of P550-million Overseas Workers Welfare Administration funds in 2011.

Arroyo's husband Mike also lost a libel case against Chavez, a staunch critic of the administration, in 2007.

According to the Office of the Solicitor General's website, Chavez was born in Bateria, Sagay, Negros Occidental on February 6, 1947.

He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines, graduating cum laude in 1971. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1972.

Chavez served as a Bar examiner during the 1985 Bar exams, and, at age 38, he was the youngest to do so.

He was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 1986 for his achievements in law and human rights.

Chavez was also known as also a human rights lawyer who fought against the Marcos dictatorship.

Chavez also ran for the Senate in the 2004 elections, but lost. He graduated high school salutatorian from the University of Negros Occidental Recoletos and graduated summa cum laude (AB English) from the West Negros College in Bacolod City.

Chavez served as a member of the Petron-Aramco board of directors (1994-1997) and was also a member of the Philippine Airlines board of directors (1988-1991).

He was also a member of the board of directors of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (1988-1991), member of the board of directors Central Cement Corp. (1989-1991) and became a partner at the Sycip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan Law Offices (1979-1987).

Chavez was founding partner of the Chavez Laureta & Associates law firm.

He also founded the Brotherhood Of Nationalistic, Involved and Free Attorneys To Combat Injustice And Oppression (BONIFACIO).