Former Inquirer correspondent dies of cardiac arrest

CITY OF CAUAYAN, Isabela – Former Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Joaquin “Jack” Castaño III died on Thursday afternoon due to cardiac arrest, his relatives said. He was 71.

Castaño was rushed to Batanes General Hospital in Basco, Batanes on Wednesday after he had complained of chest pains, his niece Melwida Castaño-Rareza told the Inquirer.

He expired at the hospital at 1:45 p.m., Rareza said.

Castaño is survived by his wife Felicidad and son Neil, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

He served as a correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in the early 90s.

He then wrote for another national daily and did some media work for a television network as a Batanes-based news stringer.

He was a regular contributing writer of the weekly Luzonwide News Correspondent that is based in Isabela.

He retired as a Navy captain of the Armed Forces of the Philippines where he served for 17 years.

Castaño was also a scout executive of the Boy Scout of the Philippines-Batanes Council, a book writer and a former barangay captain in Ivana, Batanes.

Last year, he was the lone claimant of P1 million for reparation and recognition as a human rights victim in Batanes.

He spent more than a year in solitary confinement when martial law was declared in 1972.