Ex-DAR chief Morales critical after cardiac arrest

BAGUIO CITY—Former Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio “Boy” Morales Jr. was listed in critical condition on Thursday after suffering a massive cardiac arrest here.

Morales, 68, was preparing to tee off for the final day of the 62nd Fil-Am invitational golf tournament when he went into a seizure. He was rushed to Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).

A cardiologist of the BGHMC said Morales was unconscious when he was later transferred to Notre Dame Hospital here upon the advice of his wife, Belle, and his cardiologist.

Doctors at the hospital described his condition as bad.

A participant in the annual amateur golf invitational in the past 10 years, Morales’ team, J.J. Golf, was running third in the Fil G division of the tournament.

Morales ran but lost for senator under the Partido ng Bayan in 1987.

He served as agrarian reform secretary of then President Joseph Estrada until the latter was ousted in 2001.

He was president of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, then Estrada’s political vehicle. He served as president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement from 1986 to 1998 and as chairman of the Development Academy of the Philippines from 1999 to 2001.

On Dec. 26, 1977, he stunned the country when he failed to appear at the awarding ceremonies for that year’s Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines and sent instead a statement that he was joining the underground communist movement.

He became an active underground organizer and at one time served as head of the National Democratic Front.

Originally posted at 08:27 pm | Thursday, December 01, 2011