Cebu Daily News columnist Ricky Poca. CDN PHOTO
CEBU CITY—Cebu Daily News columnist Ricky Poca passed away at dawn today due to cardiac arrest. He was 58.
The news was confirmed by his first cousin, former Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
“We are asking for prayers for the eternal repose of Ricky. I’d also like to take this opportunity so that all friends and relatives of the Rama, Limchiu, and Poca family be aware of his untimely demise,” he said.
According to Rama, Poca was at their home in Rama compound in Barangay Basak San Nicolas when he suffered from cardiac arrest.
He said they immediately called the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) around 2 am. Although ERUF personnel tried to revive him on the spot, Rama said Poca did not have a pulse anymore.
Poca was still brought to the Chong Hua Hospital where he was declared dead at close to 4 a.m. on Tuesday, December 26.
Poca has been staying in his home “and was not that healthy anymore,” he has been on dialysis for the last five years and has recently shifted to peritoneal dialysis, according to the former mayor.
“He was still very much interactive. Although he was not able to join the reunion of the Rama-Limchiu, his siblings and relatives went there to have an interaction with him,” Rama said.
Poca, who was among CDN’s first columnists, was also the host of the weekly 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.
According to Rama, Poca’s remains were still at the hospital.
But he said they planned to hold his wake in the Rama compound as early as this evening.
He added that his wake would be open for public viewing.#