Parsons Agliam Nabiula Jr. (August 22, 1958 – May 10, 2020), known professionally as Sonny Parsons, was a Filipino actor, singer, director and politician in the Philippines. He was a member of Hagibis, an all-male sing-and-dance group in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, who were coined as the Filipino version of the Village People. He was a councilor in Marikina, Metro Manila. He died on May 10, 2020, from a heart attack caused by heat stroke.
Sonny Parsons | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Parsons in 2013 | |
| Member of the Marikina Municipal Council | |
| In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1995 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Parsons Agliam Nabiula Jr. August 22, 1958 Marikina, Rizal, Philippines |
| Died | May 10, 2020 (aged 61) Tayabas, Quezon, Philippines |
| Parent | Parsons Nabiula (father) |
| Occupation |
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Early life
editSonny Parsons was born to Parsons Nabiula, a Constabulary officer from Sulu and former Olympic swimmer.[1]
Singing career
editIn the late 1970s to 1980s, Parsons was a member of the Manila sound group Hagibis together with Bernie Fineza, Mike Respall, Joji Garcia and Mon Picazo. Their hit songs included "Legs", "Babae", "Lalake" and "Katawan" (a theme song in Palibhasa Lalake, a Philippine TV sitcom series), among others. In 2001, Hagibis reunited and released one album under Star Records. He performed in a series of concerts at various venues such as in Hobbit House (Ermita), Hobbit East (Antipolo), Bodega City (Quezon Ave) and Cowboy Grill (Malate), among others.[citation needed] In 2011, he was a special guest in the Philippines leg of the greatest hits tour of Bobby Kimball (original lead singer of Toto).[2][3]
Acting career
editIn 1981, the Hagibis members made a film titled Legs, Katawan, Babae (lit. 'Legs, Body, Woman') with Laarni Enriquez, Myrna Castillo and Jess Lapid, Jr., and directed by Tony Ferrer. When Hagibis split up in the 1980s, Parsons became an actor, director, and politician. He appeared in many action films in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He starred with Ronnie Ricketts in the 1989 action film UZI Brother 9mm which was directed by Francis 'Jun' Posadas. His first TV guest appearance was in the 1991 teleserye Agila which starred Val Sotto, Aurora Sevilla and Roy Alvarez. He produced, directed, and starred in the film Bala Para sa Katarungan for Regal Films in 1997.
As a result of the July 2002 attempted robbery of Parsons' house, an autobiographical film he was in the middle of shooting titled Konsehal, Halal Kang Palaban (lit. 'Councilor, You Were Elected a Fighter') had to be shelved, with its producer backing out due to the incident.[4]
Parsons played a guest role as the main villain to Coco Martin in the 2017 action-drama TV series FPJ's Ang Probinsyano.[citation needed]
Personal life
editParsons was the founder and president of the Allied Forces of the Philippines Civilian Volunteers (AFPCIV), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) whose mission is focused on humanitarian response and anti-crime operations throughout the Philippines. On the morning of July 18, 2002, Parsons thwarted an attempted robbery by six men at his family home in Marikina, killing two of them and injuring another.[5][6] On May 29, 2004, Parsons' newly-bought car was alleged to have been used in the non-fatal bombing of the house of Barangay San Roque chairman Benjamin Cruz earlier that day, leading to Parsons being briefly arrested, though prosecutor Linda Conus immediately ordered him released for further investigation.[7][8]
Parsons was an advocate of responsible gun ownership and shared his expertise in tactical and defensive shooting. In his last years, he served as a consultant in the National Bureau of Investigations.[citation needed]
Parsons was also an active member of the Law Enforcers Riders Association of the Philippines.[9]
Death
editParsons died on May 10, 2020, due to heart attack caused by heat stroke in Tayabas in Quezon Province.[10]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Legs Katawan Babae | Tony Ferrer | |
| 1983 | JR | Pablo Santiago | |
| 1984 | Condemned | Mario O'Hara | |
| 1987 | Sparrow Unit: The Termination Squad | Ben Yalung | |
| Mga Lihim ng Kalapati | Celso Ad. Castillo, Tata Esteban | ||
| 1988 | Apat, Lima, Anim | Francis 'Jun' Posadas | |
| Ambush | Francis 'Jun' Posadas | ||
| Sgt. Ernesto 'Boy' Ybañez: Tirtir Gang | Sgt. Ernesto 'Boy' Ybañez | Willy Milan | |
| Shoot to Kill: Boy Bicol ng Angeles | Jerry Tirazona, Johnny Capistrano | ||
| 1989 | Sgt. Niñonuevo: The Fastest Gun Alive of WPD | Sgt. Mariano Niñonuevo | Ronnie San Juan |
| Salisi Gang | Leonardo Pascual | ||
| Get Commander Jack Moro: Bangsa Moro Army | Eddie Nicart | ||
| Baricuarto: Batang Cebu .45 | Jerry Tirazona | ||
| Kailan.... Dapat Lumaban | Jerry Tirazona | ||
| UZI Brothers 9mm | Francis 'Jun' Posadas | ||
| Nazareno Apostol: Boy Ahas | Jerry Tirazona | ||
| 1990 | Masikip Na ang Mundo Mo | Alexander Aguirre | Lito M. Nocon |
| Walang Sinasanto ang Bala Ko | Lito M. Nocon | ||
| 1991 | OXO VS Sigue-Sigue | Dante Pangilinan | |
| Digos Massacre | Jose "Kaka" Balagtas | ||
| 1992 | Johnny Cuevas: Alyas Boy Susi | Johnny Cuevas | Nilo Saez |
| Sgt. Ernesto Baliola: Tinik sa Batas | Sgt. Ernesto Baliola | Ricardo 'Bebong' Osorio | |
| Arrest: Hold-up Gang | Leonardo Pascual | ||
| Turing Gesmundo, Kapitan Langgam | Robert Talby | ||
| Itumba si Angel Delgado | Nilo Saez | ||
| 1993 | Capt. Rassul Alih, Hindi Sayo ang Mindanao | Capt. Rassul Alih | Sonny Parsons and Jerry O. Tirazona |
| Parañaque Bank Robbery: The Joselito Joseco Story | Argel Lopez | ||
| Aguinaldo | William Mayo | ||
| 1996 | Paracale Gang | Armando De Guzman Jr. | |
| 1997 | Bala Para sa Katarungan | Sonny Parsons | |
| 2015 | Hari at Alas: Akin ang Batas | Fernando Dizon |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988, 1995 | Coney Reyes on Camera | Various roles | 2 episodes[11] |
| 1991–1992 | Agila | ||
| 2003 | Magpakailanman | Himself | Episode: "Hinagpis ng Kamatayan" |
| 2005 | Bahay Mo Ba 'To | Kid | Episode: "Demolisyon Na Ito!" |
| 2008 | Ysabella | Barangay chairman | |
| 2013 | Pepito Manaloto | Lito | Guest |
| 2016 | We Love OPM: The Celebrity Sing-Offs | Himself | Guest |
| 2017 | FPJ's Ang Probinsyano | Fidel | Guest |
| 2017 | Live Jamming with Percy Lapid | Himself | Guest performer |
| 2019 | Bravo Executive Lounge | Himself | Guest performer Final performance before his death |
References
edit- ^ Silloh, A.C. (August 24, 2002). "A true Tausug by deed". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 14. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Gil, Baby A. (June 13, 2011). "The voice of Toto is back". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ Concepcion, Pocholo (July 10, 2011). "McCoo, Davis: What growing old gracefully sounds like". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ Caruncho, Eric S. (August 4, 2002). "Sonny Parsons Stands his Ground". Sunday Inquirer Magazine. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. Q2. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Papa, Alcuin (July 19, 2002). "'Hagibis' singer kills 2 robbers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. 1. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
It was at around 6:30 a.m. when six armed men, who police said could be members of the Waray-Waray Bicolano group, barged into Parsons' home in SSS Village...
- ^ Carcamo, Dennis (July 23, 2002). "2 gunmen take aim at Parsons' housemaid". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 4. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Balasa, Edwin (June 1, 2004). "Sonny Parsons sabit sa pagpapasabog sa bahay ng brgy. chairman". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Alquitran, Non (June 2, 2004). "Parsons eyes filing of counter raps vs accuser". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Dumaual, Mario (May 10, 2020). "Singer-actor Sonny Parsons of Hagibis dies at 61". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Sonny Parsons of Hagibis dies at 61". The Manila Times. May 10, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
- ^ "Promising stars in 'Coney Reyes on Camera'". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. January 23, 1988. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
Sonny Parsons and Susan Africa guest in today's episode [...] titled 'Kailan Bingi ang Puso?'. With [Coney] Reyes, they form a seemingly hopeless love triangle borne out of despair, loneliness and poverty.