Edward Hagedorn
Palawan Rep. Edward Hagedorn, the maverick mayor and lawmaker who helped transform Puerto Princesa into one of the country’s greenest cities, died early Tuesday after a bout with pancreatic cancer, his family said.
He was 76.“With heavy hearts, we inform you of the passing of a beloved friend, brother, husband, father and public servant, Edward Solon Hagedorn. Our dear Congressman died peacefully on Oct. 3, after 76 years of shining his light into the world,” according to the family’s post on Hagedorn’s official Facebook page.
Hagedorn died at Adventist Hospital in Puerto Princesa at 3:40 a.m. The family has yet to announce details on his funeral.
In a statement, Speaker Martin Romualdez recalled Hagedorn’s passion for the environment, tourism, agriculture and peace, which was “not just a professional pursuit, but a reflection of his soul.”
“His spirit and legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire us all,” the House leader said.
Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva remembered Hagedorn as an “outstanding public servant, a dear friend and an ambassador of God’s love.”
Biñan City Rep. Marlyn Alonte described Hagedorn as the “guardian and defender of Palawan.”
Hagedorn had been mayor of Puerto Princesa for multiple terms starting in 1992.
He was serving his first term as representative of Palawan’s third district.
The news of Hagedorn’s passing surprised many locals, as he was still visible and active in promoting his bill that sought to declare the West Philippine Sea as a marine protected area.
In February, Hagedorn disclosed he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer during the flag ceremony at City Hall. Making light of his medical condition, he joked that his cancer finally helped him lose weight.
‘Gangster’ lifestyle
Born in October 1946, Hagedorn earned national fame for helping turn Puerto Princesa from a smugglers’ haven into a safe, clean and gambling-free city.
According to his 1996 biopic, which starred the late action star Fernando Poe Jr., Hagedorn and his brothers had led a “gangster” lifestyle.
The grandson of a German immigrant, he admitted he had no plans of giving up his lucrative businesses, including illegal gambling, when he was asked to run for mayor in 1992.
“I was planning to trick them. But my conscience hit me and I couldn’t do it,” he told the Inquirer in 2013.
In his reformed life, Hagedorn, as mayor, led raids deep into Palawan’s forests to catch timber poachers.
By 1996, the city had become a Hall of Fame awardee as the country’s cleanest and greenest city.
In 2005, concurrent to his post as mayor, Hagedorn was named as the government’s anti-“jueteng” czar.
In the May 2022 elections, Hagedorn made his political comeback as a lawmaker.
Legal setbacks
But Hagedorn also faced several legal troubles.
In March 2017, he was charged with perjury, graft and ethical breach for his alleged failure to disclose 59 residential, agricultural and commercial properties, as well as 45 vehicles.
In June, Hagedorn was found guilty of malversation of public property for not returning all firearms issued to him when he was mayor, in a decision that he had intended to appeal.