Philippine Star publisher dies in Japan

[lightning099]

Philippine Star publisher dies in Japan

From inq7.net
PHILIPPINE Star Publisher Max Soliven died Friday at a hospital in Tokyo, Japan, according to reports culled by INQ7.net.

Soliven was officially pronounced dead at 11:26 a.m. (Tokyo time) of cardiac arrest at the Narita Red Cross Hospital, consul Gina Jamoralin of the Philippine embassy in Tokyo told INQ7.net in a phone interview.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo paid tribute to Soliven, saying: “The nation is deeply saddened by the passage of an icon of freedom.”

"The post-war march of Philippine democracy under a free press could not have been as vibrant without Max Soliven, who fought beside the forces of enlightenment in the struggle against despotism and wrong," she said.

Soliven “was at the Narita airport when it [cardiac arrest] happened that's why he was rushed there,” Jamoralin said.

She said a Philippine embassy consul was at the hospital helping in the arrangements for the repatriation of his remains, which will be shipped back to the Philippines Friday where arrangements are being made for his funeral.

"He rang the paper last night to check on how we were [d]oing," Philippine Star executive editor Ana Marie Pamintuan told Agence France-Presse said.

Soliven, a communications major at Fordham in the United States, worked in various local newspapers and hosted several TV talk shows during his distinguished career.

One of the last of his generation of Philippine journalists, Soliven interviewed many of the world's major political figures over the last 50 years.

He won numerous awards, both local and international, and in October was made an officer of the Legion d'Honneur by the French government and remained publisher of the Star until his death.

One of his proudest moments was being jailed with opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. when then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

Aquino was later assassinated by Marcos troops upon returning from the United States in 1983.

Soliven's last column, datelined Tokyo, appeared in Friday's issue of the paper where he pondered the possible rise of a more-assertive Japan under its new prime minister, Shinzo Abe.

Soliven's colleague and fellow columnist Babes Romualdez described him as "a journalist to the end."

[Kikkomann]

Rest In Peace.

[Hanren]

My condolences to the entire Phil Star family and to his family as well. I enjoyed reading his "classic" , hard-hitting yet informative columns to date.. The Philippines truly has lost an "icon"....

[Isuzoom]

Good night Manong Max.....Condolence to the family

[nicolodeon]

Goodbye Manong Max and may you rest in peace.

[CVT]

You've fought a good fight. Rest in peace!

Condolences to the Soliven family.

:starwars:

[hotwheels]

our sympathy and condolences to the Soliven family.

[cutedoc]

a good journalist, broad unbiased unsight on politics, realistic columnist and writer=)

one of the reson why i read phil star=)

my condolences

[kimpOy]

Rest in Peace MS

[gearspeed]

Rest In Peace