Ex-Rep. Reynaldo Umali passes away at 63

Former Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali has passed away on Thursday after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was 63.

His brother, incumbent Oriental Mindoro Representative Alfonso Umali confirmed the former lawmaker's passing in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

Alfonso said his brother was diagnosed with COVID-19 and Stage 3 liver cancer back in December. The cancer aggravated to Stage 4 in a matter of days, he added.

On Wednesday, bacteria were found on Reynaldo's liver, until on Thursday morning his blood pressure went down and he suffered cardiac arrest, Alfonso said.

Reynaldo served as representative of the second district of Oriental Mindoro during the 15th, 16th and, 17th Congress, from 2010 to 2019.

During the 17th Congress, he served as chair of the House Committee on Justice and led the impeachment proceedings against then-Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

In 2016, the Umali-led House Committee on Justice probed the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison that supposedly benefited Sen. Leila de Lima. —KBK, GMA News