Former Palace spokesman dies

MANILA, Philippines – Fernando “Jerry” Barican, noted student activist, Harvard-trained lawyer, and former presidential spokesman, passed away in his sleep Friday night, October 3, due to complications from a recent heart attack.

Barican, who had been confined at the Makati Medical Center since late August, was 66.

Barican was a leader of the Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan (SDK) and chairman of the UP Student Council when the historic street protests collectively called the First Quarterstorm broke out in 1970.

He was detained upon the declaration of martial law in 1972. In 1978, Barican ran for the Senate together with Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr under the opposition LABAN party. Years later, in an ironic twist, he would run again for the Senate in 1992 under the banner of “Danding” Cojuangco’s NPC party.

Barican was a product of the Ateneo grade school and UP Prep. He finished his college (graduating cum laude) and law degrees also at the UP, then obtained his Master of Laws degree at the Harvard Law School in 1979.

After clerking for the late Representative Millicent Fenwick (R-NJ)  in the US Congress, Barican returned to Manila to join BPI and start his own private legal practice. On the side, he taught law at UP and served on the board of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), among other commitments.

In 1998, President Joseph Estrada tapped Barican to be his spokesman. After Estrada accepted his long-standing resignation offer in 2000, Barican joined the board of the Development Bank of the Philippines, where he remained through the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Barican’s funeral wake will be at St. Alphonsus de Liguori church in Magallanes Village. The final necrological rites are scheduled at 7 pm Monday, October 6.
Burial will be at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque at a date and time to be announced. – Rappler.com