Rico J. Puno’s triple heart bypass surgery successful

RICO J. PUNO. Photo from Rico J. Puno Facebook

After seven hours, the triple heart bypass operation of singer Rico J. Puno was successfully completed on Sunday, said manager Norma Japitana.

The 62-year-old singer was supposed to undergo the procedure at the Makati Medical Center Friday, then it was moved to Saturday.

Puno later transferred to Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa, where he had the seven-hour surgery on Sunday.

Earlier in the week, Puno complained of chest pains on the set of the ABS-CBN sit-com “Home Sweetie Home,” where he is a mainstay.

A few days later, his children Tosca and Rox brought him from his home to the hospital, according to Japitana.

Singer Richard Merk told the Inquirer that he and other music industry colleagues are planning a thanksgiving and fund-raising concert for Puno, “to celebrate his new gift of life.”

“We are working on it and the meeting is tonight (Sunday),” Merk said.

Japitana said that Puno still cannot entertain visitors. “He still cannot talk and is recovering from the surgery,” she said.