(Eagle News) — Former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, 71, passed away peacefully, according to his son, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, on Saturday, May 4.
“Papa passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family. May we please ask for your continued prayers,” a statement from Secretary Nograles read.
He also thanked all those who have been part of his father’s life.
Details of the wake will follow, he said.
The senior Nograles was the first ever House Speaker from Mindanao in a hundred years of Philippine legislative history. He was elected as the Speaker of the House on February 5, 2008, after the House speakership position was declared vacant in a motion.
This was after several members of Congress expressed their dissatisfaction with the leadership of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia in early 2008.
It was De Venecia himself who nominated Nograles to be his replacement. Nograles was immediately elected as Speaker since there were no other nominations made for the post then.
(with a report from Meanne Corvera, Eagle News Service)