Former Comelec chairman Brillantes passes away

August 11, 2020

Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 80 due to the coronavirus disease.

According to Brillantes' former chief of staff, Emil Marañon, Brillantes would've turned 81 on Friday.

"My boss and former Comelec Chair Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. passed away at 11:08 am today. What a great honor to serve the country by your side. Maraming salamat!" said Marañon in his Twitter account.

This has also been confirmed by the Comelec in a separate statement.

"This is to confirm the passing of former Chairperson Sixto S. Brillantes Jr., today at a little past 11 am," said Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez.

In July it was revealed that Brillantes contracted COVID-19 and needed to be intubated.

But Jimenez said :"While we don't have the exact cause of death yet, we can safely assume it was COVID-19 related."

Brillantes was appointed as Comelec chairman by President Benigno Aquino III. He served from January 2011 to February 2015. DMS