Civil wedding for Malonzo

The rites were hush-hush and mediamen were not invited.

Less than two months after his marriage to Veronica "Nene" Ayson, his first wife, was annulled by a local court, Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo finally wed long-time common-law-wife Gwendolyn "Gigi" Emnace in "quiet" civil rites early yesterday afternoon at the Golden Apple Restaurant on 10th Avenue in Caloocan City.

Sources close to the mayor said only a select few relatives and top ranking city hall and police officials were invited to attend the wedding rites officiated by Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Silvestre Bello Jr. "There was no video coverage. The only photos came from a cell phone camera," the source said.

Malonzo came in a casual, black long-sleeved shirt and black slacks while Emnace was in a white blouse and knee-length skirt ensemble.

"The mayor looked so handsome and acted like a first-time nervous groom," the source said adding that "Madam Gigi" was "radiantly happy."

The same source, who claimed to have talked to Malonzo’s lawyers, told The STAR the annulment of the mayor’s first marriage was final and executory. The annulment case was heard in the sala of Caloocan City RTC Judge Victoria Isabel Paredes (Branch 125).

Emnace is currently the chief of the city’s Tourism Development Board, chairman of the Rey Malonzo Foundation and the mayor’s best bet to replace him in the May 2004 elections. – Jerry Botial