Tarlac lawmaker Charlie Cojuangco dies

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:30 p.m.) — Rep. Carlos “Charlie” Cojuangco (Tarlac), 58, has died, his wife China Jocson announced Tuesday.

“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform you that my husband, Claudia and Jaime's father, Carlos “Charlie” Cojuangco, has passed away,” Jocson said on her Facebook account.

In a separate statement, the Cojuangco family said that the lawmaker’s wake will be at the Heritage Memorial Park from February 23 to February 25 from 9 a.m. to midnight and in Tarlac on February 26 from 10 a.m. to midnight.

“Thank you for your prayers and support during this difficult time especially for Charlie’s family,” the Cojuangco family said.

Jocson and the Cojuangco family did not disclose the cause of Cojuangco’s death, but Bilyonaryo reported in October that he was rushed to a hospital after suffering an aneurysm while racing at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

Among the bills he authored are economic stimulus proposals for the country to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to becoming Tarlac representative, Cojuangco had represented in Congress the province of Negros Occidental, the hometown of his mother, Gretchen.

Cojuangco was the youngest son of tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., who was also a crony of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Charlie is survived by Jocson and his children, Claudia and Jaime.