Comedian Redford White, 55, whose real name is Cipriano Cermeno, died July 25 due to complications from brain and lung cancer, reportsGMANews.TV. Family friend Simon Serrano told GMANews.TV that White had been sick since last February. "We tried to consult with other doctors for him to survive, but he passed away this morning," Serrano said.

APO Hiking Society singer and composer Jim Paredes, who was close to White, Tweeted, "At 6:47 [a.m.] today, my great friend, fellow diver and a wonderful human being known to all as Redford White passed away peacefully," saidGMANews.TV.

Actor/comedian Gabe Mercado also Tweeted that White "kept his condition secret even from close friends," and that "Redford White was a mentor, a man who had tremendous respect for his craft and was perhaps the most genFilipino comedian Cipriano Cermeno, 55, popularly known as Redford White, passed away on Sunday morning," saidGMANews.TV.

ABS-CBNNews.comsaid that according to "The Buzz," in July 2008, White thought he was suffering from vertigo and reported experiencing symptoms of dizziness and difficulty in walking, as well as losing his balance. In February 2009, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer. "According to the report, his doctor had advised him to undergo Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but the actor refused. The report said his doctor also discovered a lung tumor," reportsABS-CBNNews.com.

"The Buzz" report on Redford White’s death

ReportsPEP.ph, "Redford was first seen in the TV sitcom Iskul Bukol of Tito, Vic & Joey in the late ’70’s. He played Mang Temi’s (Bing Angeles) helper in the school cafeteria.Because of his unique brand of comedy, Redford became one of the top comedians in the ’80s starring in a string of hit movies like Boni & Klayd(1981) with Pia Moran, Darakula(1982),Wrong Mistake (1983) with Chiquito, Hee-Man: Master of None (1983) with Roderick Paulate, Billy the Kid and the Sunshine Gid (1984) with Jess Lapid Jr., Sekreta Ini(1984), S.W.A.K.(1985), Johnny Rambo Tango (1984), No Return No Exchange(1986), The Untouchable Family(1988) with Regine Velasquez, and Captain Yagit(1989).

In the ’90s, his tandem with Eric Quizon in the sitcom Buddy En Sol became so successful that they also made a series of films based on their TV characters...On TV, his last two shows were GMA-7’s Daddy Di Do Du (2001-2007) and ABS-CBN’s Kokey(2007)."

ABS-CBNNews.com says his body lies in state at 139 Sto. Nino de Maligaya Shrine, Maligaya Subdivision, Novaliches, and that he is survived by his wife, Elena Cermeno, and daughter Jeruie.

Read more stories about