2 weeks ago
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CABANATUAN CITY — The municipality of General Tinio in Nueva Ecija has a new acting mayor.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) installed Vice Mayor Melvin Pascual as acting mayor of this town on Friday.
Pascual replaced municipal mayor Isidro Pajarillaga, who has filed for a voluntary leave of absence due to health reasons.
The installation of Pascual was confirmed by DILG provincial director Ofelio Tactac Jr.
Tactac said the DILG Central Office has yet to give an order for acting vice mayor of General Tinio.
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Sherry Ann Bolisay, who received the highest number of votes during the 2022 polls, is poised to take the post by rule of succession. She is running for mayor in the 2025 midterm elections under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).
Pascual and Pajarillaga are running for reelection in the May 12 polls under the Unang Sigaw political party.
Pajarillaga, meanwhile, has been mentioned in a recent controversy involving Nueva Ecija gubernatorial candidate Virgilio Bote, who said in his speech that the mayor has stage 5 kidney cancer.
Bote's remarks were flagged by the Commission on Elections which issued a show cause order against the gubernatorial candidate.
Bote, also a former mayor of General Tinio, said on Friday at the media forum here initiated by Nueva Ecija Press Club Inc. that he has already sent his answer via email to the Comelec, explaining his side of the story.
He claimed that the health issues of Pajarillaga have been known publicly, and the mayor has been in and out of his office for the past six months as reported to him by municipal councilors who are allied to him.
Bote also lauded the DILG for installing an acting mayor in General Tinio.
"This is good news for the people in his hometown, General Tinio. The LGU (local government unit) can now work properly and serve the people," Bote said.
Bote, the standard-bearer of PFP in the province, is running against Unang Sigaw's Aurelio Umali, who is seeking his third term as governor.
