By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
MAMBUSAO, Capiz — Because fugitive Leodegario Labao Jr. never surfaced when he was elected mayor May last year, this town failed to push through with many projects, new mayor Jose Alba said.
Alba said the municipal government is currently working on these projects.
Among these are the repair of the town’s public market, cultural center, and the roofing of the municipal hall’s new building.
Funding will come from the P1.6-million Recovery Assistance on Yolanda from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Alba said the new municipal hall building, a few meters away from Capiz State University–Mambusao Campus, was his project when he was mayor in 2004.
Offices in the old municipal hall have yet to be transferred.
Alba, the elected vice mayor before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had him replace fugitive Labao, said they were also in the process of acquiring P10 million from DILG’s Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig para sa Lahat program for this year and another P10 million for next year.
Alba said there is low supply of water in this town.
On Thursday, the new mayor started sending memorandums to town employees informing them of the new leadership and met with the department heads.
Alba said he will keep only the needed number of casual employees per office.
Labao was tagged as mastermind in the murder of the late Mambusao vice mayor Abel Martinez and went into hiding.
Comelec en banc called Labao a “fugitive from justice” since he fled to avoid persecution.
Comelec’s writ of execution of Labao’s disqualification as mayor was reportedly left at the mayor’s office at about 10 a.m. on July 2. Labao was not around to receive the writ.
DILG Region 6 director Anthony Nuyda, DILG–Capiz director Clyne Deocmapo, DILG 6 legal officer Atty. Cedric Jaranilla, and Provincial Election Supervisor Wil Arceño were part of the team that delivered the writ on July 2, a press release from Labao’s camp said.
At 3 p.m. of the same day, Alba took his oath of office before Judge Alma Delfin.
GIVE POST BACK TO LABAO?
Alba said his tenure as mayor is “temporary” because Labao is likely to contend Comelec’s decision to declare the former as new mayor.
The new mayor said he and Labao have not been in contact.
However, if Labao could legally earn the position back, Alba said he is willing to give it up.
Sangguniang Bayan member Fred Leal, the elected councilor with the most number of votes, has yet to take his oath as vice mayor as of this writing.
Alba served as mayor for three consecutive terms: from 2004 to 2013.
Labao, Alba and Leal ran under the National Unity Party in last year’s mid-term election./PN
