Caceres archbishop emeritus succumbs to cancer

NAGA CITY—The Most Rev. Leonardo Legaspi, archbishop emeritus of  Caceres and the first Filipino rector of the University of Santo Tomas, succumbed to lung cancer early Friday morning at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital beside his brother and Dominican priests. He was 78.

Legaspi, prelate of the Catholic Church in Camarines Sur from 1984 to 2012, died after a three-year battle with lung cancer, according to the Rev. Louie Occiano, director of the Caceres Archdiocesan Communications Commission.

Legaspi found he had cancer three years ago before he turned over his duties  as archbishop of Caceres to Archbishop Rolando Tirano Tria, who was installed in 2012.