ALBUERA, Leyte- After much hesitation, Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post as acting mayor of this town effective Friday (August 5). Meneses assumed the post after Mayor Rolando Espinosa’s designated caretaker, Councilor Sixto de la Victoria, declined the designation. Espinosa, in his letter dated August 2, named de la Victoria, a former mayor, as his caretaker as he took a leave of absence after he surrendered to Police Director General Ronald de la Rosa on the same day he issued his letter. Under section 46 of the Local Government Code, the vice mayor automatically assumes the post of mayor after the allowed three day lapses. “I will assume the post efective today (Friday) and let us see from here (what will happen),” the acting mayor said. Meneses disclosed that she has police security, underscoring the still volatile security situation in Albuera. However, town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido assured the people of the town that it is now “peaceful.” Ida Aquilina Lopez, local operations chief, said that she was glad that finally Meneses has assumed the post as acting mayor. As acting mayor, she can discharge all the functions of the mayor except to fire, hire and reassign personnel. According to Lopez, there was fear that the operations in the local government would be in jeopardy if there would be no acting mayor after Espinosa took his leave. The acting mayor is not a political ally of Espinosa who was identified, together with his son Kerwin as the region’s top drug lords. Meantime, Councilor de la Victoria will assumed the post as acting vice mayor being the number one councilor. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA/JOEY A. GABIETA)
