Televangelist Eliseo “Eli” Soriano, 73, the host of “Ang Dating Daan,” a long-running religious television program, died in Santa Catarina, Brazil, at dawn on Friday.
Members of the Church of God International confirmed the news through a statement on Facebook on Friday.
The statement did not specify the cause of death.
“It is with deep sadness, yet with full faith in the Almighty, that we announce the passing of our beloved and one and only Brother Eliseo ‘Eli’ Soriano—a faithful preacher, brother, father and grandfather to many,” it said in a statement.
Soriano was baptized at the Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of the Truth in Pampanga in 1964. He later took over its leadership in 1977 and renamed it Members Church of God International in 1980.
Soriano launched “Ang Dating Daan” in 1980 after preaching in Pampanga for 14 years.
After realizing it would take him a long time to cover the entire country using the traditional medium, Soriano decided to turn to broadcasting.
“Ang Dating Daan” went on air through dwWA 1206 kilohertz. The program gained steady following and made its TV debut in 1983 on IBC-13. The program moved to different channels, until it permanently aired on UNTV.
Soriano left the Philippines in 2004 after being hounded by a string of cases, including rape and libel.
Malacañang condoled with Soriano’s family, loved ones, and followers on his death.
—With a report from Inquirer Research