Claire dela Fuente, known as the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines, died in her sleep today. She was 63.
Her death was confirmed by her son Gregorio Angelo Rafael de Guzman, one of the suspects tagged in the alleged “rape-slay” of flight attendant Christine Dacera. De Guzman said that while his mother tested positive for COVID-19, she died of cardiac arrest.
Read: 11 suspects charged with provisional rape, homicide in Christine Dacera’s death
“Early this morning, my mom, Claire dela Fuente, passed away. Cardiac arrest. She was also COVID positive, diagnosed last week,” he told ABS-CBN News, adding that he too was positive for the coronavirus.
“Based on [what] my doctor [said], she died of cardiac arrest a result of stress and anxiety. My mom has anxiety, hypertension, diabetes. Her endless worry, her stress led her to weaken and in her sleep, her heart gave out,” de Guzman said.
The singer had been semi-retired for several years in showbiz but became more visible since de Guzman became linked to Dacera’s death, appearing in interviews and in court. De Guzman insists that he could not have raped the flight attendant because he is gay, but he was still charged by the National Bureau of Investigation, along with 10 other suspects.
Read: Entrepreneur and singer Claire dela Fuente convicted of tax evasion
Dela Fuente recorded eight albums in her career and is known for her hit songs “Sayang,” “Nakaw na Pag-Ibig,” (“Stolen Love”), and “Minsan, Minsan” (“Sometimes”). She used to own a bus company but in 2011 the government canceled its permit to operate when it participated in a nationwide strike.
