21 November 2005
Newsman finally buried after long stay at morgue
AFTER lying at a hospital morgue unclaimed by any relative after his death, a non-Pangasinense former newspaper editor was finally buried by media colleagues here who tapped resources to give him a decent final farewell.
Dominic “Dong” Villafuerte, 60, former editor of the tabloid newspaper “Headline Balita” published by Victor Corpuz, a namesake of retired Army General Victor Corpuz, was already clinically dead when he was brought to the R1MC at 11 p.m. Wednesday after suffering an apparent heart attack.
Villafuerte, a native of Camarines Sur but migrated to the province of Pangasinan since the 80s, was the third journalist from Pangasinan who died due to natural causes in a span of only seven days.
The others were Professor Napoleon “Nap” Donato, 58, of Dagupan City; and Maximo “Max” Mendiguarin, 82, of Binmaley town, both columnists of the local newsweekly “Sunday Punch”.
Drs. Mayeen Fernandez and Rochelle Taaca, attending physicians, said Villafuerte was already clinically dead when brought to the hospital by a male person who did not introduce his relations with the deceased.
They said although Villafuerte was already cyanotic or ashen-colored when he was brought in, they still did everything to revive him but to no avail.
Villafuerte, who once worked with the government-owned Philippine Broadcasting System from the 70s up to the 80s, has no relatives in Pangasinan. Hospital records showed his address was Guilig street in barangay Pogo Chico in Dagupan City where he rented a space alone.
Months after leaving “Headline Balita”, he was arrested and jailed in Dagupan aftr he failed to post the bailbond of P9,000 for a case of libel filed against him.
Hearing about Villafuerte’s predicament Bayambang Mayor Leocadio de Vera posted the bailbond for the latter.
Dominic “Dong” Villafuerte, 60, former editor of the tabloid newspaper “Headline Balita” published by Victor Corpuz, a namesake of retired Army General Victor Corpuz, was already clinically dead when he was brought to the R1MC at 11 p.m. Wednesday after suffering an apparent heart attack.
Villafuerte, a native of Camarines Sur but migrated to the province of Pangasinan since the 80s, was the third journalist from Pangasinan who died due to natural causes in a span of only seven days.
The others were Professor Napoleon “Nap” Donato, 58, of Dagupan City; and Maximo “Max” Mendiguarin, 82, of Binmaley town, both columnists of the local newsweekly “Sunday Punch”.
Drs. Mayeen Fernandez and Rochelle Taaca, attending physicians, said Villafuerte was already clinically dead when brought to the hospital by a male person who did not introduce his relations with the deceased.
They said although Villafuerte was already cyanotic or ashen-colored when he was brought in, they still did everything to revive him but to no avail.
Villafuerte, who once worked with the government-owned Philippine Broadcasting System from the 70s up to the 80s, has no relatives in Pangasinan. Hospital records showed his address was Guilig street in barangay Pogo Chico in Dagupan City where he rented a space alone.
Months after leaving “Headline Balita”, he was arrested and jailed in Dagupan aftr he failed to post the bailbond of P9,000 for a case of libel filed against him.
Hearing about Villafuerte’s predicament Bayambang Mayor Leocadio de Vera posted the bailbond for the latter.
