Young actor Marky Cielo, 20, Dies

PEP received a confirmed report earlier this afternoon, December 7, that young actor Marky Cielo died at dawn today. He was 20 years old.

However, the cause of death is not yet clear. An initial report says that Marky died in his sleep. His mother went up to his room in their house in Antipolo City around 6 a.m. to wake him up for a charity event. But he never woke up.

GMA-7 is expected to make an official statement any time soon.

Marky was a product of GMA-7's StarStruck Batch 3, where he won as the Ultimate Sole Survivor. He was the first Igorot from Baguio City to join the popular reality-based artista search. Among his batchmates were Iwa Moto, Jackie Rice, and Gian Carlo.

After winning in StarStruck, he appeared in several GMA-7 shows which included Encantadia, Fantastikids, Bakekang, Asian Treasures, Boys Next Door, Kaputol ng Isang Awit, and Codename: Asero. But he was best known as Zaido Green in Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan.

He was also a mainstay of the musical-variety show SOP and in the primetime series La Lola.

Marky, who is also known for his dancing prowess, grew up in Butuan City but his family moved to the north. His remains now lies at St. Peter's Chapel in Quezon City.

ERWIN SANTIAGO