One of last World War II vets dies of pneumonia in Cebu City

CEBU CITY — Angelo Alo, the regional president of the Veterans Foundation of the Philippines  in Central Visayas (VFP-7), succumbed  to pneumonia on Monday morning. He was  87.

Angelina Alo-Marinduque said her father died in his sleep at 5 a.m.  in his residence on R.R. Landon Street, Barangay Sta Cruz, Cebu City.

He is survived by his five children and 12 grandchildren.

Marinduque said her father was brought to Chong Hua Hospital due to heat stroke when he was about to attend a burial ceremony of another veteran on Jan. 30 in Pinamungajan town, Cebu.

Since then, he had been bedridden and could not speak although he could open his eyes.

The doctors allowed the family to release him from hospital last week but he was still bedridden. He also had kidney problem and was supposed to undergo the third dialysis session on Monday.

Last Sunday night, Marinduque said they noticed her father’s health deteriorating.

“Gisingot siya pag-ayo ug murag gikutasan na hangtod mga 4 a.m. Pagcheck namo ganihang 5 a.m. kay among pakan-on, wala na siya (He was perspiring and seemed to be gasping for breath about 4 a.m. When we checked on him at 5 a.m., he was already gone),” she said.

Alo, one of the few remaining World War II veterans, assumed the VFP presidency in January when the VFP-7 president,  lawyer Democrito Mendoza, died.

Alo’s wake will be held in his house on RR Landon Street until Saturday when he will be buried at the Queen City Memorial Gardens in Cebu City, according to his family.  SFM