CEBU, Philippines - New Alcantara, Cebu Mayor Beatriz Caburnay and Vice Mayor Fritz Lastimoso took their oath of office before Governor Hilario Davide III at the Capitol yesterday morning.
Caburnay succeeded the late mayor Fredo Cañete, who died of a heart attack last Wednesday, while Lastimoso, who was the first councilor, assumed as vice mayor.
Several have already expressed willingness to take Lastimoso’s seat at the town council, but the new vice mayor said they have no name yet as to who would.
Although he had pledged allegiance to the Liberal Party after winning in last year’s elections, Lastimoso was a candidate of One Cebu, LP’s political rival. And Davide said, the “reckoning†of the appointment should be based “at the time of the elections†where the person who caused the vacancy belonged to.
As per Local Government Code, it will be the party, where the person who caused the vacancy belongs to, who will nominate the replacement.
“We have yet to discuss. Wap-ay gi-name-drop because it’s too early… Way hand ang SB, it’s the political party,†said Lastimoso.
Lastimoso was in his first term as town councilor before being appointed as a vice mayor one year after his election.
For her part, Caburnay said that though Cañete belonged to a different political party, she has no plans of replacing Cañete’s staff.
Cañete was an independent mayoralty candidate but was sworn in along with the rest of Alcantara’s elected officials before Davide, who heads LP in Cebu, after the May 2013 election.
Caburnay, Alcantara vice mayor since 2010, said she may even continue Cañete’s projects, and add some more for the development of their town.
Caburnay was vice mayor since 2010, and was a town councilor since 1988. (FREEMAN)