Veteran broadcast journalist Carmelo "Melo" Acuña died at the Quezon City General Hospital early Friday morning, Aug. 27, according to his wife. He was 64.
"My husband, Melo Acuña, joined his creator today at 2:30 a.m. Please pray for the eternal repose of his soul. Please also pray for me that I will have complete healing," said Acuña's wife, Ma. Jhona, in a Facebook post.
Acuña's colleagues at the Defense Press Corps (DPC) were among those who expressed condolences to his bereaved family.
In a statement, the DPC said Acuña's passing "left a void in our field" as he was a "great loss to the Fourth Estate."
"For almost three decades, Kuya Melo has been among the forerunners of the country's national defense coverage, asking the difficult questions and seeking accountability from the powers that be," the DPC said.
"As a friend and colleague, his no-nonsense approach and news sense served as a beacon for the younger generation of journalists," it added.
Acuña was confined at the Quezon City General Hospital last Wednesday due to complications caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). His wife is also battling COVID-19.
Acuña served as a news anchor at Radyo Veritas from 1994 to 2008. He also became the director of the online radio of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), a correspondent for the China Radio International, and Asia Pacific Daily.
He also was a member of the Foreign Correspondents of the Philippines (FOCAP), taking part and leading forums related to issues surrounding the country's national defense and military.
He was born on Feb. 8, 1957 in Alabat, Quezon.