Ronaldo Valdez

Ronald James Dulaca Gibbs (November 27, 1947 – December 17, 2023), popularly known by his screen name Ronaldo Valdez, was a Filipino actor whose career spanned almost five decades.

Valdez started his earlier career as a leading man and was known for portraying paternal roles and antagonists in both TV and film.

Valdez was discovered by Dolphy at a neighborhood basketball court while he was searching for a new actor to pair with Susan Roces in the 1966 film Pepe En Pilar.

His first major break came in the 1969 movie The Mad Doctor of Blood Island.

Valdez subsequently did many films in the 1970s and 1980s, where he gained popularity playing important father roles and rich father figures.

He continued to be cast in this role in the 1990s and 2000s, most notably in TV dramas such as Mula sa Puso (1997–1999), Ang Munting Paraiso (1999–2002) and Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (2001–2003), and the romantic comedy movie Labs Kita... Okey Ka Lang? (1998).

He joined the exclusive Grand Slam club in 1994, when he won the Best Supporting Actor awards in the Film Academy of the Philippines Awards, FAMAS Awards, Gawad Urian, and the Star Awards for his role in May Minamahal.

In 2017, Valdez was selected by KFC to become the first Filipino Colonel after appearing in a viral comedic audition video for the role alongside Leo Martinez and Pen Medina.

His last two films that he was part of, GG (Good Game): The Movie (co-starring Donny Pangilinan, Maricel Laxa, Baron Geisler & Gold Aceron) and Itutumba Ka ng Tatay Ko (top-billed by his son Janno Gibbs in his directorial debut and starring Xia Vigor and Jeric Raval), were both posthumously released on January 24, 2024.

Valdez was married to Maria Fe Ilagan with whom they had two children, Janno and Melissa, who are both actors.

He is also related to the Ilagan clan through his father-in-law Gerardo de Leon, Maria Fe's father, among whom are actors Jay Ilagan, Robert Arevalo and wife Barbara Perez, and Kenneth Ilagan, and to cousin Angelo Castro Jr.. and wife June Keithley, and nephew Mondo Castro through his uncle, the former Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro.

In 2022, Valdez underwent surgery for prostate cancer.

Valdez died at the age of 76 on December 17, 2023, in Quezon City.

The Daily Tribune, citing police investigators, reported that he had died from a gunshot wound to the head, although the Quezon City Police District said it was waiting for the results of laboratory testing to be released.

Authorities later confirmed that a .45 caliber pistol with an empty magazine was found near Valdez’s body.

He was discovered by his driver in his room at his home in New Manila and was rushed to hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Following his death, three police officers were fired after graphic footage taken by first responders of the immediate aftermath of Valdez being found shot was leaked online.

The Quezon City government ordered an investigation into the leak while Valdez's manager Jamela Santos threatened legal action against those responsible.

Three civilians who also uploaded the footage on social media were also charged for cybercrime offenses and breaches of privacy laws.

On January 16, 2024, the Quezon City Police District apologized to Valdez's family over the footage and subsequent leak.

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Ronaldo Valdez was one of the few actors who have won all four of the major awards in the Philippines for the same work.

To later generations, he was known for starring in TV series such as Los Bastardos (2018–2019) and 2 Good 2 Be True (2022), and films such as The Mistress (2012), All You Need Is Pag-ibig (2015) and Seven Sundays (2017).

He also guest-hosted several television programs such as SOP Rules, Nuts Entertainment, Eat Bulaga!, Kakasa Ka Ba sa Grade 5?, Power of 10, All Star K! and Sunday All Stars.