NEWSFLASH

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DIRECTOR PABLO SANTIAGO, DEAD AT 67

Manila, Aug. 17, 1998 - Veteran Director Pablo Santiago, father of actors Randy, Rowell and Raymart, died yesterday at the Cardinal Santos Hospital where he had been confined for a lingering kidney ailment.

Santiago was known for his big-budgeted action movies, many of them starring Fernando Poe Jr. He made his directorial debut at 19 with Larry Santiago Productions' ''Lo Waist Gang,'' which catapulted Poe to stardom.

For nearly fifty years, Santiago made award-winning films such as ''Batingaw,'' ''NuevaVizcaya,'' ''Perlas ng Silangan,'' ''Ibong Adarna'' and ''Digmaan ng mga Angkan,'' a 1974 Metro Manila Film Festival blockbuster starring Ronnie Poe and Joseph Estrada.

His last movie starred FPJ opposite Anjanette Abayari in ''Ang Syota Kong Balikbayan,'' in 1996. Santiago is survived by Cielito Legaspi, his wife of 39 years, and six children - Randy, Rowell, Rhea, Jun-Jun, Raymart and Chi-Chi.

Four of his children are in show business: Randy is a singer-TV host, Rowell is an actor-director, Raymart is an action star and Jun-Jun works as a line producer for Star Cinema.

Santiago's remains lie in state at Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills. He will be cremated on Saturday, Aug. 22, at Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque.