JV Gallego, former San Beda guard, dies at 28

Gallego was part of the team that led San Beda to victory in the NCAA Season 99 basketball championships

MANILA, Philippines – Former San Beda Red Lion and Chiang Kai Shek College standout John Vincent “JV” Gallego died on Saturday, July 18, after figuring in a road accident. He was 28.

Gallego had been driving back to Manila on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) when his vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier, Meycauayan CIty Police Station chief of police Melvin Florida confirmed, according to a report from ABS-CBN News.

His family also confirmed the news of his passing on social media.

Having stood at 5’10”, Gallego briefly played professional basketball for the Bicol Volcanoes in the MPBL in 2024.

Most notably, he was a part of San Beda University’s winning team during the NCAA Season 99 basketball championships in 2023.

Prior to suiting up for the Red Lions, though, Gallego had played in the UAAP for the National University (NU) Bulldogs from seasons 78 to 82. He was a Chiang Kai Shek College high school standout when then-NU coach Eric Altamirano secured his commitment to the university in 2015.

“Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog,” NU’s athletics office wrote. “Rest in peace, JV. Your NU family will always remember you and the legacy you left behind.”

The former shooting guard was also a member of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth in 2016, playing in the FIBA Asia U18 Championships in 2016.

Tributes from peers poured in for Gallego, including his former teammates Shaun Ildefonso at NU, and Fran Yu at Chiang Kai Shek. “Thank you for being an incredible person, a great teammate, and a true friend from the very beginning. Thank you for every memory, every laugh, and every moment we shared on and off the court,” Yu said.

The 28-year-old was serving as the head coach of the Colegio San Agustin Makati High School boys’ basketball team at the time of his death.

“Coach JV will be remembered not only for his dedication to the sport of basketball but also for the passion, guidance, and unwavering commitment he shared with every student-athlete whose lives he touched,” the school wrote in its official statement mourning his passing.

– Rappler.com