By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following the recent death of Isabela Mayor Enrique Montilla III and Vice Mayor Joselito Malabor assuming the position, calls have been made for reconciliation between the two political families.
Isabela Councilor Patrick Miguel Montilla offered an olive branch, saying, “The family welcomes that.”
He added the late mayor had previously called for reconciliation.
The rift between the Malabors and the Montillas was evident after the late mayor was linked to the killing of former Provincial Board Member Renato Malabor, the current mayor’s father, in June 2015.
Both Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. and Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson previously asked both families to reconcile for the sake of the people of Isabela.
Meanwhile, Montilla appealed to the mayor to reconsider his decision to dismiss more than 200 municipal job order workers, all of whom were appointed by his predecessor./WDJ