The Philippines’ Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition scene is mourning once again as Ivan “Navi” Emmanuel Gacho, a former pro player and coach for the RSG Ignite team, has died last night.
Navi formerly played for numerous professional MLBB teams and in MPL PH Season 4 alongside the eventual world champion Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno. Shortly after, he opted to retire from esports and concentrate on his personal life. According to an interview by Spin.ph, Navi used to work for a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm. However, he admitted that he left after six months and want to give another shot at esports.
The RSG Slate PH club, which was looking for a coach for the MLBB Development League Philippines (MDL PH) Season 1 competition at the time, heard about Navi’s desire to return to competitive and decided to give him a position in the team. Eventually, Navi was hired as the head coach of the RSG Slate PH’s second squad, RSG ignite, in February 2023.
Navi led the RSG Ignite team to a fifth-place finish in the MDL Regular Season 1. They then advanced to the playoffs, where they were defeated by the Blacklist Academy squad in the quarter-finals. Four days after their match at MDL PH S1, RSG Slate PH reported that Navi had passed away.
“It is with a heavy heart to share with you the passing of our good friend, Coach Ivan Emmanuel “Navi” Gacho. You have brought a light that shines brightly in our lives and hearts.” RSG Slate PH posted on Instagram.
Navi died at the age of 24, just a month away before his birthday in May. According to Navi’s sibling, Isidro Erickson Gaucho III, the hospital record wrote that Navi died of Fatal Arrhythmia. The news of Navi’s death is the second tragic news to hit the Philippines esports community in a short period of time. Just two days ago, the team manager of Evos Nexplay, Charles Dave “Chad” Dela Pena, passed away with the cause of death remains unknown to this date.
