Treñas: It is fair to give their family the chance to serve the people

Following the recent death of Iloilo City Councilor Armand Parcon, Iloilo City Mayor-elect Jerry Treñas said he may recommend the late city official’s daughter to fill the vacancy on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
The mayor-elect believes an appropriate replacement should be a relative of the deceased.
“I feel it is but fair to give the family of the late Armand Parcon the chance to serve the people,” he explained.
However, a formal replacement can only be made by the political party of the deceased. Parcon was affiliated with the National Unity Party.
“It is the highest political party leader that will make the nomination,” explained City Department of the Interior and Local Government head, Atty. Ferdinand Panes.
“I can only recommend,” Treñas added.
Meanwhile, Atty. Dan Cartagena, a member of the United Nationalist Alliance, finished in 13th place.
According to the latest returns, he missed out on the final spot on the SP by 468 votes.
“Pa-contest-a ang sya, iya man na right pero the fact na na proclaim na as winning candidate so wala na eh (If he contests the decision, he has that right but, since Parcon was already proclaimed as a winning candidate, he can no longer challenge),” Panes affirmed.
He also cited RA 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, which, in Section 45, notes: “The appointee shall come from the same political party as that of the sanggunian member who caused the vacancy and shall serve the unexpired term of the vacant office.”/WDJ