Ex-Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. dies at 82

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Former Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. passed away Tuesday at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City. He was supposed to turn 83 years old on November 27.

Fifth district Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr., confirmed the death of his father through his Facebook account.

“At 1:35 a.m. this morning (Nov. 24, 2015), our dearest tatay, Niel D. Tupas Sr., returned to his Creator. He is now at peace with God. Thank you for all your love, prayers, and support. We love you, tatay. You will always live in our hearts,” stated the congressman’s FB post.

Tupas Sr. died of multiple organ failure, after battling prostate cancer, said the younger Niel.

Before he was brought for treatment at the Philippine Heart Center in October, Tupas Sr. was confined for around three weeks at the Saint Paul’s Hospital Iloilo due to the lingering illness, said the congressman.

For more than four decades, Tupas Sr. was a member of the Liberal Party, and has been known as an influential political key player in Iloilo province.

He graduated Bachelor of Laws in University of the Philippines in 1957 and passed the bar the same year. In 1972, he started his political career as mayor of Barotac Viejo town.

The following year, he was elected first president of the Municipal’s League of Iloilo and, in 1977, he became president of the Western Visayas Municipal’s League and first president of the Mayor’s League of the Philippines.

From 1978-1984, Tupas Sr. became an assemblyman of the Batasang Pambansa for Region 6, then House representative from 1987 to 1998, before elected as Iloilo governor from 2001 to 2010.

Tupas Sr. was survived by his wife Myrna Causing–Tupas and children, Representative Tupas Jr., Iloilo Vice Governor Raul Tupas, Mayor Niel Tupas III of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo Provincial Board Member Nielo Tupas, Iloilo City Councilor Nielex Tupas, Doctor Nielito Tupas, and Nielette Tupas.

Reports said his remains are laid in Quezon City and will be brought to Iloilo this Friday (Nov. 27). (FREEMAN)