BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon passed away at his residence at Santa Clara Subdivision in this city at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, six days before his 74th birthday.

The governor, who was surrounded by his family, succumbed to cardio-pulmonary arrest, a complication arising from tumor in his kidney, his chief of staff Jose Ma. Valencia said.

 “He died peacefully in his sleep as he had wanted,” Valencia said.

Marañon was survived by his wife Aida Lopez Maranon and his three children — Sagay City Councilor Gerard Joseph, Ma. Lourdes Yopangco and Ma. Therese M. Ledesma.

The governor had been in and out of the hospital since 2007 due to a tumor in his kidney. His condition worsened when he was hit by pneumonia during the May elections in 2007. He went on leave last January 3 to seek treatment and has not returned to his office since then.

Marañon would have turned 74 on March 19.

He was elected governor of Negros Occidental in 2001, 2004 and 2007, and was a three-term mayor of Sagay City from 1992 to 2001.

He served as president of the Municipal Mayors League of Negros Occidental and vice president for the Visayas of the League of Cities of the Philippines.

Source: inquirer.net

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