In stark contrast to the media attention that he got when he was accosted for smuggling hundreds of firearms 23 years ago, the death of Nicanor de Guzman Jr., a former lawmaker from Nueva Ecija province, almost came unnoticed.

De Guzman, 80, succumbed to a lingering liver and pancreatic illness on Sunday, February 12. His son, Restituto, told The Manila Times that the ex-lawmaker had been bedridden since his ailment was detected in November last year.