Rico Blanco’s brother dies at 50

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Rivermaya drummer Mark Escueta announces Rey Blanco’s death

MANILA, Philippines – The younger brother of singer Rico Blanco, Rey Blanco, died at the age of 50 on Wednesday, May 14.

The news was announced in an Instagram post by Rivermaya drummer Mark Escueta on Thursday, May 15. Escueta and Rico were bandmates in Rivermaya, a popular rock band.

Rey’s daughter Daniela confirmed her father’s death in a social media post, just an hour after Escueta’s.

“Our daddy King has peacefully joined our Creator,” her caption wrote. “We love you always and forever, dad. Like you always say: ‘Thank you, love you.’”

Rey, known to those close to him as “King,” battled with skin cancer — an “advanced and very aggressive type of squamous cell carcinoma.” This means that the cancer spread to other parts of the body beyond the original location, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

In a heartfelt post on January 23, former Rivermaya vocalist Rico Blanco shared a series of photos of himself with his late brother — from childhood pictures of the two of them, to old family pictures, and into adulthood, as his brother underwent treatment — and announced King’s diagnosis to the public in the caption.

“Only a year apart, we did everything together growing up, like best friends, or even twins,” Blanco, 52, wrote. “We shared so many adventures and fought so many battles alongside each other. I love him so very dearly.”

The January post concluded with the musician humbly asking for prayers “for King’s strength and healing.” He added, “I cannot bear to imagine a world without him in it.”

Blanco has yet to make a statement on his brother’s passing, as of writing.

Rey Blanco’s wake will be held at Heaven’s Park, Biñan, Laguna (formerly Arlington), starting on Thursday, May 15. Meanwhile, his interment will be at Everest Hills Memorial Park, Muntinlupa, shortly after the funeral mass at Heaven’s Park, at 1 pm on Tuesday, May 20. – with reports by Bea Gatmaytan/Rappler.com

Bea Gatmaytan is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines Diliman.