There was a time when Filipino
actor Eddie Garcia could arguably be compared to James Bond actor Sean Connery,
both famous for being ruggedly handsome and effective actors even as they work
well beyond the average retirement years. Then Connery, 2 years Garcia’s
junior, retired in 2006 while “Manoy” Eddie managed to keep himself busy in
local showbiz, achieving a Filipino record of most film appearances for an
actor since 2011. Granted, with the passing of years his physical exertions
while on screen has significantly reduced in consideration for his age.
Thus while shocking, it was not
surprising that Eddie Garcia suddenly collapsed over the weekend while on the
set of his latest TV soap, although the circumstances reported to the media were
initially confused. GMA Network, home
of Garcia’s current series “Rosang Agimat,” initially reported that the
90-year-old actor suffered a heart attack when he collapsed on his feet while
shooting a scene on Saturday, June 8, and fell unconscious. Garcia was taken to
intensive care at the Makati Medical Center in June 9, where a thorough
examination including a CT scan clarified that he did not go into cardiac
arrest. Rather, he had lost his balance and fractured his neck and cervical as
he fell, according to Inquirer.net.
Understandably, Garcia’s family
were upset at the mistaken information regarding the actor’s true medical condition,
and this from the network producing his latest TV show, following his time at
ABS-CBN on the hit long-running teleserye “Ang Probinsyano.” As The Manila Times tells it, the sister of
Garcia’s partner Lilibeth Romero posted the true circumstances of the lifetime
matinee idol on Facebook, which included an appeal to GMA Network to squelch
its initial “heart attack” news report so as not to do Garcia a great injustice.
The network has done so.
In addition, GMA 7 has begun
investigating the taping of “Rosang Agimat” where Eddie Garcia suffered his
injury, which was caught on camera footage. Very telling according to CNN Philippines was the fact that there
was no medical team on the set, especially considering the delicate condition
of the actor despite his spry fitness from a healthy lifestyle. The network
stated that it was company practice to have medics and ambulance crews standing
by on both taped and live programs, especially when there are action sequences
involved in case of the former. “Rosang Agimat” is an “urban fantasy” action
soap.
GMA Network is continuing its
investigation even as Garcia remains in critical condition. His family and many
fans are asking for prayers from the showbiz community for his timely recovery.
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