Philippine central bank governor Espenilla dies

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine central bank governor, Nestor Espenilla, died on Saturday, the bank said. He was 60 and had cancer.

Espenilla, a veteran of nearly four decades with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), took over as governor in July 2017 but was diagnosed with tongue cancer four months later and was on leave intermittently during 2018.

The BSP said the Monetary Board held a special meeting on Saturday and designated Deputy Governor Almasara Cyd Tuano-Amador as officer-in-charge.

President Rodrigo Duterte would need to appoint a new BSP governor who would complete the remainder of Espenilla's six-year term.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales and Martin Petty; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)