Award-winning director Peque Gallaga dies at 76

Award-winning Filipino film director Peque Gallaga passed away on Thursday morning in a hospital in Bacolod City. He was 76.

His son Wanggo Gallaga confirmed the unfortunate news to GMA News Online, saying "he wasn't in any pain."  

The sad news came a day after his family confirmed that Gallaga was in the hospital due to "complications arising from past health conditions."

The statement from Gallaga's family was posted on Wednesday by his fellow director, Lore Reyes on Facebook.

Born Maurice Ruiz de Luzuriaga Gallaga, Peque built an incredible body of work that began in the '70s and included films like "Gold, Silver, Death," "Scorpio Nights," "Magic Temple," a handful of "Shake, Rattle and Roll" films and "Magic Kingdom." 

But it was the 1982 film classic "Oro Plata Mata" that Gallaga was best known for.  

He was first recognized for his production design work in "Ganito Kami Nuon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?" in the first-ever 1976 Gawad Urian Awards.

With Reyes, Gallaga won the Best Director and Best Screenplay for "Magic Kingdom" in the 1996 Metro Manila Film Festival. 

May he rest in peace. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News