MANILA -- Members of the lower chamber of Congress paid their last respects to Representative Florencio Vargas (second district, Cagayan) during the necrological services at the Batasan Pambansa Wednesday morning.

Vargas, a member of the Lakas-Kampi party, succumbed to leukemia at St. Luke's Hospital in Quezon City last June 22. He was 78.

The deceased lawmaker was survived by his four children and wife, Illuminda.

He began his 29 years in public service as a barangay captain in Centro, Abulug before he was elected as town mayor, provincial vice governor and eventually governor of Cagayan.

The House of Representatives is set to call for a special election in his district to determine who will occupy the seat he left. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)