MANILA - Former Bayan Muna Rep. Joel Virador passed away Tuesday after battling a form of thyroid cancer, the partylist said. He was 52.

Virador, who served in the 13th Congress from 2004 to 2007, passed away after battling papillary carcinoma, according to Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate.

"JV succumbed to papillary carcinoma earlier today but his memory and advocacy will live on. We will continue his work and we will not let military harassment to silence or cheat Bayan Muna from attaining 3 seats," Zarate said in a statement.

Dating kinatawan ng Bayan Muna na si Joel Virador, pumanaw na dahil sa sakit | ulat ni @ZandroDZMM — DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) May 7, 2019

"JV was part of the Batasan 5 when the Macapagal-Arroyo regime cracked down on the Left like what is happening now. But even with the harassment and trumped-up charges JV continued to stand with the poor and the oppressed in exposing the rottenness of the system," he added.

Bayan Muna chairman and senatorial bet Neri Colmenares also conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family.

"Ka Joel is a true representative of the people and continued his advocacy for human rights even after his stint in Congress. He will be terribly missed and we share are condolences to his family and friends," he said.

--With a report from Zandro Ochona, ABS-CBN News