Philippine Showbiz Today 17
January 8 - 21 , 2017
Philippine Showbiz Today 17
Former Manila mayor Mel Lopez dies at 81
Former Manila mayor Gemiliano “ Mel ” Lopez Jr . died Sunday night , January 1 . He was 81 years old .
His son , Manila 1st District Rep . Manny Lopez , confirmed to CNN Philippines his father died of cardiac arrest , 6:18 p . m . at St . Luke ’ s Medical Center .
Then President Corazon Aquino appointed Lopez as officerin-charge of Manila from 1986 to 1987 when all government posts nationwide were declared vacant after the People Power Revolution .
He was elected mayor of the capital from 1988 to 1992 .
Lopez was a councilor of Manila from 1968 until martial law was declared in 1972 . He was vocal against the Marcos regime .
He was among the 92 injured individuals in the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing of the Liberal Party campaign rally in Manila . Among the injured were senators Jovito Salonga , Sergio Osmeña Jr ., and then Manila mayor Ramon Bagatsing ( Bhagat Singh ).
Lopez was elected assemblyman of Manila in the Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986 .
Then President Fidel V . Ramos appointed him chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission from 1993 to 1996 .
He was chairman of PNOC Exploration Corporation before he died .
Lopez ’ s wake is at the Aeternum Chapel , Heritage Park , Taguig , from 4 p . m . of January 2 , to Wednesday morning , January 4 .
There will be a public viewing at Sto . Nino Church in Tondo on Thursday , January 5 , and at the Manila City Hall at 3 p . m . on the same day .
The late mayor will be buried at Heritage Park on Saturday , January 7 . ● - CNN Philippines
Mel Lopez giving a speech moments before the Plaza Miranda bombing at Quiapo in 1971 ; as Reyfort & Cely ’ s wedding sponsor in the early ‘ 90s