In 1969, Fernandez allegedly opened fire on the vehicle that Pangilinan was on. Bomba star Rosanna Ortiz was one of vehicle's passengers. Pangilinan died and Fernandez, along with actor Berting Labra who was said to have aided him, were sent to jail for 13 years. Fernandez got out in 1982 and tried to stage a comeback, but he reportedly got involved in drugs. He died in a shootout with operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.
