He was 56.
Veteran sports journalist and former Philippine Basketball League commissioner Chino Trinidad passed away on Saturday, July 13.
In a text message sent by her daughter Floresse Trinidad to GMA News Online, owned by Trinidad’s former home network of over two decades, she told that her father succumbed to a heart attack while enroute to a meeting in Pasay City.
Upon the confirmation of the news about his passing, tributes from his media colleagues poured in for Trinidad.
‘Saksi’ anchor Arnold Clavio, on Instagram, posted a screencap of his conversation with Trinidad, who sent Clavio a message after learning about his hemorrhagic stroke last June.
Connie Sison, who currently anchors in ‘Unang Hirit’ and ‘Balitanghali,’ reminisced about her coverages of Manny Pacquiao’s fights abroad with Chino Trinidad.
Trinidad’s fellow sports journalist Bill Velasco said in a Facebook post that he is “beyond broken-hearted at the loss of Manolo Chino Trinidad, my brother, colleague, friend.”
Chino’s illustrious career began on AM radio station DZRH in the 1990s, before eventually transitioning as a TV presenter for Vintage Television.
He then became the main segment anchor of ‘Sports Saksi’ on GMA, a title that he carried until the network’s flagship newscast became known as “24 Oras.”
Trinidad also launched his own channel Pilipinas HD in 2016, which broadcasts nationalistic programming.
In 2023, he departed from GMA Network after 23 years with the company, and just last May, he became the first commissioner of the Sharks Billiards Association.