Philippine esports community mourns death of Navi, Chad

The Philippine esports community is in sorrow as it mourns the death of Ivan Emmanuel "Coach Navi" Gacho and Charles Dave "Chad" Dela Pena, who both had been longtime Mobile Legends: Bang Bang personalities.

Navi served as the head coach of RSG Ignite in the recently-concluded inaugural season of MDL, where his team reached the quarterfinals stage before bowing to Blacklist Academy.

Prior to his coaching stint, Navi used to play in MPL, teaming up with the likes of Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno and Salic "Hadji" Imam back in Season 4.

He died on April 24, Monday, at the age of 24, just a month before his 25th birthday on May 26.

Chad, meanwhile, was a former Nexplay EVOS boot camp manager and had served as an older brother to the likes of Renejay "Renejay" Barcarse and John Paul "H2Wo" Salonga in and out of the MPL scene.

He passed away on Sunday, April 23. He was 27.

"The MLBB community deeply mourns the passing of two MLBB esports personalities Charles Dave "Chad" Dela Pena and Ivan Emmanuel "Coach Navi" Gacho," MPL said in a statement.

"Please join us in offering our community’s thoughts and deepest sympathies to Chad and Navi's families and friends that they left behind. May you rest in peace, Chad and Navi."

— LA, GMA Integrated News