MANILA – Members of the Congress joined fans, relatives and friends in mourning the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia due to an accident in a TV series shooting earlier this month.
1-PACMAN party-list Rep. Michael Romero, Garcia’s stepson, recalled how the multi-awarded actor served as his second father since his early teens.
“Since I was 13, Tito Eddie has always played father to both my brother Nikki and I,” said Romero, who was the son of Garcia’s longtime partner Lilibeth Lagman Romero to her former husband Rehgis Romero.
“He has not only taught us the very value of respect and kindness, but showed this trait in his daily life,” he added. “His works will live forever.”
Sen. Grace Poe also paid her last respect to Garcia, who helped her father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., during the latter’s presidential campaign in the 2004 national elections.
“Isa kang mahalagang haligi ng industriya at naging isang tapat at mabuting kaibigan sa aking ama at sa aming pamilya,” Poe said. “We will miss you dearly. You and your family are in our prayers.”
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the death of Garcia “suddenly reminded of our 2004 campaign” when the late actor served as the light of FPJ’s campaign.
“As FPJ was onstage, Manoy Eddie would creep in and make the crowd more jubilant. Ronnie will now see him as he creeps into Heaven and meet his old buddy,” Sotto said.
Garcia suffered the neck injury when he tripped and fell while shooting “Rosang Agimat” TV series for GMA Network last June 8 at Tondo, Manila. He passed away on Thursday after almost two weeks in a critical condition./PN
