Perdices to take oath as Negros Oriental governor

AN ELECTION official said Tuesday that Vice Governor-elect Agustin Perdices will take his oath as governor of Negros Oriental following the death re-elected Governor Emilio Macias on Sunday.

Lawyer Eddie Aba, provincial election supervisor in Negros Oriental, told Sun.Star that Perdices being the elected vice governor last May 10 polls, is mandated by law to take over the seat of the duly-elected governor due to the latter's death.

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Macias passed away early Sunday at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Manila due to liver cancer.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Jofralito Lorico echoed Aba's statement, saying that the vice governor will take over the post of the governor if a permanent vacancy occurs.

He also said that if a permanent vacancy occurs in the office of the vice governor, the highest ranking Provincial Board member will become the vice governor.

Lorico said Macias, being governor-elect and was proclaimed before he died, means that he acquired a plurality of the votes lawfully cast sufficient to elect. The fact of having a plurality of votes lawfully cast is what confers the title to the office, there will be a permanent vacancy of the governor’s seat, he added.

Meanwhile, re-elected Board Member Roel Degamo who got the most number of votes the race for provincial board member in the May polls will assume the post of the vice governor.