Serantes, 59

MANILA, Philippines — Olympic boxing hero Leopoldo Serantes passed away yesterday after a long, lonely battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 59.

The 1988 Seoul Games bronze medalist and retired Army second lieutenant lapsed at the ICU (intensive care unit) of the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City where he had been in and out since January.

“He was a special person to Philippine sports. We took good care of him up to the last breath of his life,” said Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez.