3 Calbayog councilors resign; move ‘surprises’ DILG exec

TACLOBAN CITY-Three incumbent city councilors of Calbayog City  have tendered their resignations, a move which ‘surprised’ the provincial head of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The three, Charlie Coñejos, Cesar Sabenecio, and Billy Martirez, have until June 30 but chose to tender their resignations ahead of the constitutionally-mandated end of their terms.
Judy Batulan, provincial DILG director, said that while the act of resignation is a ‘personal decision’, he was still surprised that the three did not wait until June 30.
“I am surprised that they have to tender their resignations when their terms in office are to end in less than a month. But that is their personal decision,” he said in an interview aired over a local radio station in Catbalogan City, the provincial capital.
Among the three councilors, the Leyte Samar Daily Express only managed to contact Coñejos to ask for the reason why he resigned.
“It is for health reasons,” he said, without elaborating.
Coñejos was also the only one among the three councilors to have run but lost during the May 9 elections. The two others were serving out their last terms.
Batulan said that despite of the resignation of the three councilors, the legislative works would not be disrupted considering that the new set of city legislators are to take their positions beginning June 30.
“Even if there will be only two or three councilors, there will still be a quorum,” he said, adding that the resignations will not paralyze the legislative works in Calbayog City.
Incidentally, all 12 elected councilors of the city were from Nacionalista Party. The three resigned councilors belonged to the Liberal Party.
The incoming mayor and vice mayor of the city, Raymund Uy and Rex Daguman, belong to NP and Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Meantime, Batulan also confirmed that the wife of slain mayor Ronaldo Aquino, Marcelina, has also tendered her resignation as village chairman of San Policarpo.
He, however, said that he has no information as to the reason why she also resigned.
Earlier, Aquino’s son, Clarence, who run but lost as vice mayor, said that the family has decided not to run for any elective posts in future elections.