Negros Occidental Representative Jose Miguel Arroyo (better known as “Iggy” Arroyo) was pronounced dead last Thursday (January 26, 2012) after suffering a cardiac arrest on Wednesday (London time). He was in London undergoing treatment for liver cirrhosis.
The congressman went on a cardiac arrest and was immediately called on to be transported to the hospital where he was revived yet incidentally went into coma. He was then put into life support but then the lawmaker’s heart stopped beating Thursday morning.
The sudden death of Iggy Arroyo has stunned most of us. We would remember that Iggy has been well known for claiming responsibility for his brother’s (Mike Arroyo) and sister-in-law’s (Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) recent involvements with the Jose Pidal case.
The Department of Justice has stated that all the cases connected to the congressman will be considered dismissed since the latter’s presence is no longer possible to continue the case.
Iggy Arroyo was first elected as representative of the 5th District of Negros Occidental in 2004 and has served his third and last term in office. The representative’s condition is not known among his colleagues in Batasan.
The news of Iggy Arroyo’s death was confirmed by Occidental Mindoro Representative Amelita Villarosa (a close friend of the Arroyo’s) as relayed to Marilyn Barua-Yap (Secretary General of the House of Representatives) after several conflicting news has circulated over the Internet about the lawmaker’s passing.
Many of his colleagues define Iggy as a good person. I am now close to believing the saying “ang masamang damo ay matagal mamatay.” Maybe Iggy is not guilty of the legal cases he’s into and so kind to cover for his brother’s faults.
