Mayor of Carles, Iloilo dies

CARLES, ILOILO, Philippines — The mayor of the coastal town of Carles in northern Iloilo died of cardiac arrest Thursday afternoon as he battled complications from diabetes. He was 61.

Mayor Arnold Betita Sr. had been confined to a hospital confinement since December 25 last year and was undergoing dialysis when he died. He left his wife Jennelyn and three grown-up sons.

Betita was a former Philippine Marine and also worked as an overseas contract worker in of Saudi Arabia.

He majored in Accounting and tried his hand at seaweed production, a PNA report published in interaksyon.com said.

As a politician, he served Carles for almost 20 years—as mayor for seven years, vice mayor for nine years, and councilor for three years. —From the wires