Ex-Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim passes away at 90 -report

Former senator and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim passed away on Saturday. He was 90 years old. 

The news was confirmed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in a video posted on Facebook on Saturday night.

Moreno said Lim passed away at around 5 p.m. due to COVID-19.

According to a report on Super Radyo dzBB by Sam Nielsen, a fellow journalist whom Lim had treated as his own "anak-anakan" confirmed the former senator's death in a text message at 5:41 p.m.

UPDATE: Pumanaw si dating Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, kaninang 4:57PM. | via @dzbbsamnielsen pic.twitter.com/lHygxG3HrP

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 8, 2020

On Friday night, Mayor Isko Moreno confirmed that Lim had been infected with COVID-19.

At the time, however, Moreno said that the former local chief executive had not passed away as some reports claimed.

"Siya po ay kumpirmadong may COVID-19 pero mali po yung napabalitang siya po ay patay na," Moreno said on Facebook.

"Mali po 'yun," he added.

Moreno made the announcement while reporting the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries in the city.

Lim, a former police official, served as senator from 2004 to 2007. He was Manila mayor for a total of 12 years from 1992 to 1999, and from 2007 to 2013.

He was also former director of the National Bureau of Investigation (1989-1992) and secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (2000 to 2001) during the administration of President Joseph Estrada, who had beaten him in the 1998 presidential elections.

On Saturday, condolences were conveyed to the family by Palace spokesperson Harry Roque, former President Joseph Estrada, and Senator Lito Lapid. —MDM/KG, GMA News