Jaehwa Bernardo

Screengrab from Morly Alinio (Ito Ang Tondo) on YouTube

Article (news)

Actor Pepito Rodriguez passes away at 83

Anna Cerezo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772084792860Pepito.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Actor Pepito Rodriguez. Screengrab from Morly Alinio (Ito Ang Tondo) on YouTube</div>Actor Jose Maria Rodriguez, better known as Pepito Rodriguez, passed away on Thursday, his family said. He was 83.Jecca Jamandre Abad, whom Rodriguez helped raise, said the former actor died at around 4 a.m.“Lumaban pa siya. Sabi niya sa akin, uuwi na kami bukas sa Antipolo. Nagbibiruan pa nga kami na itakas siya sa admitting room,” Abad recalled his final moments.Rodriguez rose to fame in the 1960s after being launched as part of Stars ’66, the group of young talents introduced by Sampaguita Pictures. At the height of his career, he became widely known for his on-screen partnership with Rosemarie Sonora.He appeared in several films, including &quot;Sa Bilis, Walang Kaparis&quot; (1964).Beyond his years in the spotlight, for Abad, Rodriguez’s greatest role, was in the life he lived privately — as a loving and generous father figure whose compassion shaped her family’s life.“Anak po kami ng driver ng mommy at daddy niya. Nang namatay ang parents niya, binilin kami — hanggang siya na ang kumupkop sa akin at nagpaaral. Siya po kasama namin sa bahay, kami po kasama niya araw-araw,” she said.“Minahal niya ang mga anak namin na parang sarili niyang apo. Mahirap lang po kami, pero he sent us to a private school since high school. He treated us always as his own.”She added that even in his final days, Rodriguez remained concerned about their welfare.“Hanggang bago siya mamatay, he assured sa kapatid niya na huwag kami pabayaan,” she said. She also emphasized how Rodriguez was a very caring brother who deeply loved his siblings. “Ayaw niya na malaman ng mga kapatid niya na he’s not fine. Sobra ang love niya sa mga kapatid niya, especially sa sister niyang si Melinda na nag-iisang buhay pa na babaeng kapatid niya,” Abad said.

Actor Jose Maria Rodriguez, better known as Pepito Rodriguez, passed away on Thursday, his family said. He was 83.

Actor Jose Maria Rodriguez, better known as Pepito Rodriguez, passed away on Thursday, his family said. He was 83.