CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Veteran Mindanao-based journalist Rommel Rebollido passed away before dawn on Tuesday, October 29, in General Santos City. He was 67.
His passing came as a shock to his fellow journalists, some of whom said they had just interacted with him a day earlier.
Rebollido’s eldest daughter, Ramielle, said the journalist suffered a cardiac arrest. She said her father was rushed to a hospital, where he subsequently passed out during a video call with her. He never responded after that.
He had hypertension and was on maintenance medication due to an enlarged heart, the California-based Ramielle said.
Rebollido was a fixture in the Mindanao journalism scene, known for his contributions to Rappler and Mindanews and as a trainer at the Peace and Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON).
For those who knew him, he was a calming force, blending humor with unflagging dedication to the profession.
Journalist Inday Espina Varona, a former Rappler Regions head, expressed her shock, recalling his dependable presence. “Always calm and humorous, and very professional,” she reflected.
Herbie Gomez, Rappler desk editor and Mindanao bureau coordinator, said Rebollido’s passing felt sudden and personal. They had spoken just hours before his death.
“Rommel told me he was struggling to write, even on simple news reports. He said his memory was failing him. We then joked about it. I told him he wasn’t alone, and we had a good laugh,” Gomez recalled.
The last news story Rebollido wrote, exploring Tboli and Blaan burial traditions, was published on Rappler within hours of his passing — a poignant farewell.
Genory Vanz Alfasain, a young freelancer, spoke highly of Rebollido. “For a time, he became my mentor in journalism, instilling in me the importance of fact-checking, credibility, and integrity. I remember him for his unwavering values and principles as a journalist,” he said.
Rebollido began his journalism career with the state-run Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Iligan City. He later became a correspondent for the now-defunct Pahayagang Malaya, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the Philippine News Agency (PNA). He eventually wrote for the Davao-based Mindanews and Rappler.
In 2009, Rebollido and his friend, the late Rene Lumawag, completed a one-year photojournalism course at the Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.
Together with eight Mindanao-based photojournalists, Rebollido participated in the Press Freedom 2.0 project Panglantaw Mindanao, which produced news photos and visual stories about Mindanao.
He was also a resource speaker for PECOJON on stress trauma debriefing for journalists covering the war in Mindanao and was among the first batch of journalists accepted into Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.
Rebollido was a widower — he lost his wife Gemma to cancer years ago. He is survived by eight children: Anneluz Ramielle, Kristiane Rommel, Tristan Fauntle Roy, Grazielle Bituin, Gerome, Guia, Golda, and Gio. – Rappler.com