Jakarta. Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Sinyo Sarundajang passed away at a Jakarta hospital early on Saturday at the age of 76.

He died at the Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MRCCC) in Central Jakarta where he was treated for cancer, daughter Vanda Sarundajang confirmed.

“My father died at the intensive care unit of the MRCCC Siloam Hospital surrounded by his wife, some of his children and grandchildren who live in Jakarta,” Vanda said.

The body of Sinyo is laid at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital as the family plans to bury him at his hometown of Minahasa, North Sulawesi on Sunday, she said.

The House of Representatives member said his father’s health condition has been deteriorating in the last three months and he was admitted to a hospital in Manila before being flown to Jakarta.

“My father managed to celebrate Christmas and New Year with the extended family in [North Sulawesi capital] Manado, but his condition kept worsening,” Vanda said.

Sinyo has been serving as the Indonesian envoy to the Philippines since 2018. 

Prior to that, he won the first gubernatorial election in North Sulawesi in 2005 and was reelected five years later.

After the public service, Sinyo became chief executive officer of Beritasatu Media Holdings, of which the Jakarta Globe is an affiliate,  from 2015-2017. 

President Joko Widodo appointed him as the ambassador to the Philippines in 2018.

Sinyo is survived by his wife Deetje Adelin Sarundajang and five children.