Farewell, Charlie Davao!

Veteran actor Charlie Davao, the father of actor Ricky Davao, succumbed to colon cancer on Sunday morning. Charlie passed away at 11:30 a.m. at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. His cancer was detected in 2009. Charlie was 75.

Born Charlie Dabao in Iloilo City, he went to Manila in 1954 to study. He juggled being a commerce student at the University of the East and working as a commercial and print ad model.

Charlie, who would later become known for his roles as an antagonist in the movies and TV, landed his first major role in the film "Isinumpa" (Cursed) in 1959. Among his most memorable films were "Kaming Mga Talyada" (1962), with Juancho Guttierez and Jose Mari Gonzales, and "Trudis Liit" ("Little Trudis," 1993), with Vilma Santos.

He was also part of "Palengke Queen" with Nora Aunor in 1982; "Pedro Tunasan" with Lito Lapid in 1983; "Get Victor Corpus: The Rebel Soldier" with Rudy Fernandez in 1987; "The Rape of Virginia P." with Alma Moreno in 1989; and "Volta" with Ai-Ai de la Alas in 2004.

On television, he worked with Claudine Barretto in "Mula sa Puso" on ABS-CBN in 1997. He was also part of "Darna," "Rosalinda," and "Totoy Bato" on GMA 7. Charlie was last seen in "Saan Darating ang Umaga" on GMA 7 in 2008.