Carlo J. Caparas passes away

Comic strip creator and writer-director Carlo J. Caparas has passed away, his family confirmed on Saturday night. The news was announced by his daughter, Peach Caparas, in a heartfelt Facebook post honoring her father’s legacy.

“Salamat Direk Carlo J. sa mga dibuho at istorya. Mga istoryang nabuo sa bawat tipa ng iyong makinilya,” Peach wrote, expressing gratitude for her father’s contributions to Filipino art and storytelling.

“Dad, you will forever be loved, cherished, and honored…by all of us,” she added in the emotional post.

The cause of Caparas’ death has not yet been disclosed. The family announced that the official wake will begin on Monday, from noon until midnight, at the Haven Memorial Chapels and Crematorium in Taguig City.

Caparas is best known for creating beloved Filipino comic strip characters and superheroes such as ‘Panday,’ ‘Totoy Bato,’ ‘Bakekang,’ ‘Gagambino,’ and ‘Elias Paniki.’ He also directed the notable film ‘The Vizconde Massacre,’ which was released in 1993 and starred Kris Aquino.

In 2009, Caparas was honored as a National Artist for Visual Arts and Film, although the recognition was later invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2013.

The Caparas family endured another significant loss in 2017 when Carlo’s wife, Donna Villa, passed away from cancer at the age of 57.