AJ Perez
Born	Antonello Joseph Sarte Perez (1993-02-17)February 17, 1993 Manila, Philippines
Died	April 17, 2011(2011-04-17) (aged 18) Moncada, Tarlac, Philippines
Cause of death	Vehicular accident
Resting place	Manila Memorial Park – Sucat
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2006–2011

Antonello Joseph Sarte Perez (Tagalog pronunciation:[ˈpɛrɛs]; February 17, 1993 – April 17, 2011)^[1] was a Filipino actor. He was a member ofABS-CBN'sStar Magic in Batch 13. He portrayed one of the lead characters in the 2009 miniseriesYour Song Presents: Underage. In 2010, he played his first main role on primetime in the television series,Sabel.

Perez died at aged 18 in acar accident inMoncada, Tarlac, on midnight of April 17, 2011.^[1]

Antonello Joseph Sarte Perez was born on February 17, 1993, to aBicolana mother, Maria Victoria "Marivic" (née Sarte) andBacolodnon father, Gerardo "Gerry" Perez. He had a younger brother named Angello Michael "Gello" (born May 16, 1998). He was a nephew of^[2]Albay politicianCong. Elfren Sarte. He attended high school atLa Salle Greenhills inGreenhills, Mandaluyong, and graduated on March 20, 2011.^[3][4] He planned to take up Marketing at theDe La Salle University because he wanted to help run the family business and he played a former college basketball team ofDe La Salle University.^[3]

Perez was discovered byABS-CBN in a TV commercial forMilo. He attended self-enhancement workshops with ABS-CBN Talent Center and was one of the new talents launched byStar Magic on its 13th anniversary in 2006.^[4]

The same year, Perez, along with the rest of Star Magic Batch 13, made a cameo appearance in theKomiks special episodeBampy. He then appeared inStar Magic Presents:All About A Girl along withPiolo Pascual andLauren Young—his first team up with Young—they would then subsequently appear in several TV shows opposite each other.^[5] He was later cast as Josh Smith, his first regular TV appearance, in the youth-oriented TV seriesStar Magic Presents:Abt Ur Luv.^[6] In December 2006, he made his film debut in the award-winningStar Cinema filmKasal, Kasali, Kasalo, where he played the younger brother ofJudy Ann Santos.^[7]

In 2007, Perez's Josh Smith was promoted to a lead character inStar Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv and subsequently crossed over toAbt Ur Luv Ur Lyf 2, after the show was revamped.^[8] In the latter part of the year, he reprised his role as Otap inSakal, Sakali, Saklolo—the sequel ofKasal, Kasali, Kasalo.

In December 2007, Perez appeared inBahay Kubo: A Pinoy Mano Po!, an entry to the33rd Metro Manila Film Festival.^[9] WhenAbt Ur Luv Lyf 2 ended its two-year run, Perez went to appear in two seasons ofStar Magic Presents:Astigs—namely:Astigs in Haay...School Lyf andAstigs in Luvin Lyf. He was later cast as Bayani Mendoza in the supernatural dramaLobo. Perez made a guest appearance in the"Bato" episode of theromantic fantasy TV seriesLove Spell and in theImposible episode of themusicalanthologyYour Song. He also joinedASAP '08 as one of theDynamite Dance Crew and appeared in the filmMagkaibigan and thedirect-to-video filmKelly! Kelly! (Ang Hit na Musical).^[10][11]

In 2008,Robi Domingo joined Perez and the remaining members ofASAP'sDynamite Dance Crew,Chris Gutierrez,Dino Imperial,Sam Concepcion,Arron Villaflor andEnchong Dee to formASAP'sGigger Boys.^[11] The group was later cast in the TV adaptation of the 1981 filmBoystown --Your Song Presents:Boystown.^[12] Earlier, Perez appeared in another TV adaptation --Your Song Presents:Underage—where he played Gary, opposite of Lauren Young.^[13] He then went to appear in two Star Cinema films;BFF: Best Friends Forever andAng Tanging Pamilya: A Marry Go Round.^[11]

Perez appeared in theromantic comedy filmBabe, I Love You^[14] and, alongside Robi Domingo and Sam Concepcion, in themulti-narrativehorror filmCinco in 2010.^[15] His last film appearance was in the comedy filmMamarazzi.^[16] He appeared as Jeffrey in the "Kakambal ko'y Manika" episode ofWansapanataym. In December 2010, Perez was cast inSabel, where he played his first leading role in ateleserye withJessy Mendiola andJoseph Marco.

His last TV appearance was in the "Tsinelas" episode of the dramaanthologyMaalaala Mo Kaya, which he finished filming before his death. He played Edgar, the older of the two orphaned boys who walked fromManila toSamar to search for their relatives.^[17] The episode also starredBugoy Cariño.^[17][18] It aired posthumously on April 30, 2011^[19] and earned Perez a posthumous nomination in the 2011 Golden Screen TV Awards for an Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Single Drama/Telemovie Program.^[20]

Perez had earlier appeared as a guest judge inShowtime. Before the accident, Perez was in talks to appear in the Philippineremake ofMaría la del Barrio^[21] and was also set to play a lead role inWay Back Home, the film debut ofKathryn Bernardo andJulia Montes.^[22][23]

On April 17, 2011, Perez had just finished a show inDagupan,Pangasinan, and was riding anABS-CBN service van on his way home with his father Gerardo, and four others. The driver of the van tried to overtake a trailer truck but collided with aPartas provincial passenger bus alongMacArthur Highway in Barangay San Julian,Moncada, Tarlac.^[1] He was declared dead on arrival at the Rayos-Valentin Hospital inPaniqui, Tarlac^[3] at 12:10 a.m.^[1] Initial reports said that the cause of his death was "multiple head injuries".^[24] An autopsy concluded that Perez died after his broken ribs pierced his heart and lungs.^[25][26]

Perez's funeral was held at the Chapel of the Divine Child atLa Salle Green Hills on April 17–18 before he was transferred in the Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows inQuezon City on April 19–26, 2011.^[27] PresidentBenigno Aquino III paid his respects on the final night of Perez's wake.^[28]

Perez was buried at theManila Memorial Park inParañaque on April 26, 2011. His favorite blanket, a pair ofrubber shoes, and a watch he gave his younger brother were reportedly placed inside the casket.^[29]

ABS-CBN filed a case of reckless imprudence on the driver of the van that carried Perez and four others. The driver was an employee of Southbend Express Services, Inc., a service contractor of ABS-CBN.^[30]

Perez's family wanted to donate hiscorneas to blind singer Fatima Soriano after his mother saw her interview withBoy Abunda onThe Bottomline with Boy Abunda. However, Soriano's doctor explained this was not possible because Soriano's problem was her retinas, and only corneas can be transplanted.^[31] Perez's corneas were eventually donated to a 28-year-old man and an 8-year-old boy.^[32]

In August 2011, the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines posthumously honored Perez as the foundation's poster boy. The event was attended by the Perez family and the recipients of the actor's corneas.^[33]

• AJ Perez atIMDb

• 1993 births
• 2011 deaths
• Filipino male child actors
• Filipino male film actors
• Filipino male television actors
• Filipino television personalities
• Star Magic
• Road incident deaths in the Philippines
• Male actors from Manila
• 21st-century Filipino male actors
• Burials at the Manila Memorial Park – Sucat

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