(UPDATE 2) Ex-PUP president Nemesio Prudente dies at 81
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:42:00 03/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Nemesio Prudente, the former president of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and human rights advocate, died early Friday in a Cavite hospital. He was 81.
One of the more prominent political prisoners of the martial law regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Prudente died following almost a month of confinement at the De La Salle Medical Center in Dasmariñas, Cavite, his nephew Dante said.
Dante said his uncle underwent a successful prostate operation but suffered an allergic reaction to antibiotics, which resulted in complications.
“He didn’t have allergies before but it must be because of his age,” said Dante, who added that his uncle already had several illnesses before his prostate condition.
Prudente’s remains were cremated at 3 p.m. Friday at the Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque in accordance with his request that he be cremated within 24 hours of his death.
His ashes will be brought to a memorial service at 7.30 p.m. on April 2 at the Union Theological Seminary in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
Samuel Salvador, the PUP vice president for academic affairs, said the school would make arrangements with the family to have his remains brought to the PUP main campus in Sta. Mesa for a tribute next week.
Prudente is survived by his wife, Ruth Garcia, and children Felice Sta. Maria, Karen and Rudy.
Salvador said Prudente was a “nationalist and a visionary” who transformed PUP from a small college to a large university.
“We are very grateful for his contribution to the university which he expanded in so many ways,” said Salvador.
Prudente served as PUP president from 1962 to 1972, when he was arrested by the Marcos regime for his alleged links to the Left.
He was freed from prison in 1986 and reinstalled as PUP president when President Corazon Aquino assumed power.
Prudente is credited with revitalizing public education by institutionalizing much-needed changes in the state university.
The outspoken Prudente escaped two attempts on his life, both arising from his condemnation of human rights abuses by the authorities.
On November 10, 1987, he survived an ambush near Lambingan Bridge in Sta. Ana, Manila, in which his lawyer was killed.
Less than a year later, on June 30, 1988, he was wounded in another ambush while being driven to the PUP. Three of his bodyguards, who were in a lead vehicle, were killed instantly.
It took 11 years for five policemen to be convicted for the 1988 ambush and for the killing of Prudente’s escorts. Allison Lopez and Kate Pedroso, Inquirer Research
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