He died from gunshot wounds at 4:10 in the morning of March 7, 1970; at the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City, Philippines. He was shot four times: in the back, navel, right leg and right thigh; allegedly by air force Capt. Severino Francisco, at about 3:30 p.m. the day before; at the driveway of the 528th air wing building at the Nichols Air Base in Metro Manila. The actor did not regain consciousness since then.