Camiguin lawmaker dies of pneumonia

MANILA, Philippines - Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo died before dawn yesterday of pneumonia at the Makati Medical Center. He was 77.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. mourned the passing of the veteran lawmaker, describing him as “a personal friend of long standing.”

“It grieved me to see him suffering a few days ago at the hospital. His passing is a loss to his province and to the nation as well,” Belmonte said.

He said Romualdo, a stalwart of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), was one of the members of the House of Representatives “who contributed greatly to the achievements of various Congresses.”

NPC spokesman and Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian said the party was saddened with Romualdo’s passing.

“Today, the party lost a great public servant and leader. Congressman Romualdo will be missed by the NPC,” Gatchalian said.

“We sympathize with his family and the great province of Camiguin, the province he loved dearly,” he said.

Romualdo was running for re-election at the time of his death.

He represented the island province of Camiguin in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1998 after which he served as governor of the province from 1998 to 2007. He returned to the House in 2007.

Romualdo was a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.