Saturday, May 06, 2006
Former Sarangani vice guv dies
By Aquiles Zonio
MALUNGON, Sarangani Province -- Former vice governor Felipe Constantino of Sarangani Province died an hour after his vehicle figured in a road mishap.
Malungon police Chief Allan Tanato said the victim's car fell off a 90-feet high ravine about 6:00 p.m. Tuesday in Sitio Buayan, Malandag village in this town.
The former vice governor managed to get out of his car and called up his family for help.
He was rescued around 7:00 p.m. and was rushed to Socsargen County Hospital in nearby General Santos City where he died an hour later while being treated at the intensive care unit.
The attending physician revealed that Constantino sustained 11 fractured ribs, some of them stabbed into his lungs triggering internal hemorrhage.
Reynaldo Constantino, the victim's son and also a former vice mayor of this town, bared his father was on his way home after visiting his grandchildren in Malungon town poblacion when the steering wheel of his car locked.
Burial date has not yet been announced.
Constantino was considered the political kingpin of Malungon, the biggest town in Sarangani in terms of population and income, way back during the Marcos era.
A known ally of the late dictator, he was replaced as mayor of Malungon during the Aquino administration.
However, in 1992 he made a successful comeback in politics and went on as undefeated mayor of the town for three consecutive terms.
In 2001, due to term limit, he ran and won as vice governor of Sarangani.
He failed in his reelection bid in 2004 against Bridget Chiongbian-Huang.
For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(May 1, 2006 issue)
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