The Philippine Online Chronicles

Former Batangas governor Armand Sanchez, who was running under the Nacionalista Party (NP) for re-election in the May polls, passed away on Tuesday night after suffering a brain hemorrhage while campaigning.

According to Sanchez’s running mate Edwin Ermita, the 57-year-old was giving a speech to the employees of the Ladeco feed mill in Lipa City on Monday afternoon when he collapsed and had to be brought to the hospital. It was found that Sanchez was suffering from over-fatigue, which compounded by his diabetes and hypertension ailments caused swelling and bleeding in his brain.

A three-hour brain surgery at the Mary Mediatrix Medical Center also in Lipa City revealed that the damage caused by the hematoma or blood clot in the brain was so severe that he was only given a "five to ten percent survival rate."

Sanchez remained in a semi-comatose state until he passed away of cardiopulmonary arrest and multiple-organ failure. His family has yet to announce the date for his interment.

According to the Commission on Elections (NP), the NP is allowed to field another candidate to replace Sanchez, although a certificate of candidacy will first have to be submitted and evaluated by the poll body.

Ferdinand Topacio, Sanchez’s lawyer, said that the NP would declare a new candidate within 48 hours. Until then, the Liberal Party (LP) gubernatorial bet in Batangas, incumbent Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, is considered to be running unopposed.

“We offer our sympathy and prayers to the family and supporters left behind by Governor Sanchez. He has affected many lives and he will surely be missed,” said Archbishop of Lipa Ramon Arguelles, who before Sanchez’s death was one of his harshest critics.

Sanchez served as mayor of Santo Tomas in 1998 to 2001 and again in 2001 to 2004 before becoming governor of Batangas in 2004. He ran for the position again in 2007 but lost to Santos.