Joe lad Santos, the official spokesman of JMV Film Production, producer of Malvar Tuloy Ang Laban, has announced the passing of Dr. Edberto Malvar Villegas, Ph.D after he suffered a severe stroke.
In a statement sent to Manila Standard Entertainment, the spokesperson said that the former head of the University of the Philippines (UP) Political Economy Department and grandson of National Hero Gen. Miguel Malvar passed away at the Makati Medical Center. The cause of his death was not, in any way, related to COVID-19 because he was cleared by the hospital of being afflicted by the virus.
According to Santos, Dr. Villegas was known by thousands of followers in the academe. He was a political detainee during Martial Law.
Dr. Villegas wrote the best selling book Gen. Miguel Malvar and the Philippine Revolution and had it published after his release from detention by the military. He distributed the book to the public in collaboration with the history professors from the UP Historical Department.
The book he wrote about his grandfather Gen. Malvar was the basis for the movie-documentary script and screenplay of Malvar Tuloy Ang Laban, with Sen. Manny Pacquiao playing the title role.
Under the direction of Jose "Kaka" Balagtas, president of Movie Industry Workers for Progress and Development, Inc., the script and screenplay were written by Joe Lad Santos and Danny Marquez. Camarines Sur Vice Gov. Imelda Papin, president of the Actor’s Guild of the Philippines, is the movie’s line producer.
In memory of Dr. Villegas, his colleagues in the academe are launching Prof. Ed Villegas Memorial Historical Writers Foundation.