THE sister of Negros Occidental Fifth District Board Member Alain Gatuslao took over his son's candidacy on Thursday, November 29.
Dr. Rita Silos Gatuslao, optometrist and former healthcare executive, took over Neil Gatuslao, her son, as United Negros Alliance’s candidate for board member in the Fifth District.
Alain Gatuslao opted not to seek for re-election.
He was earlier reported to run for congressman in the Fifth District but gave way to the candidacy of Maria Lourdes Arroyo-Lesaca, sister of the late congressman Ignacio Arroyo and sister-in-law of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Rita Gatuslao will be offering her 30 years in the medical field as a practitioner and manager to help the Provincial Government in its continued thrust towards securing the health and welfare of Negrenses.
Neil Gatuslao was the second candidate to withdraw his candidacy in the province for the 2019 elections.
The other one is Raul Baterna, who withdrew his candidacy for vice governor, making vice gubernatorial candidate Jeffrey Ferrer unopposed.
The withdrawal and substitution of candidates ended on Thursday, November 29, per the guidelines of the Commission on Elections.
Provincial elections supervisor Jessie Suarez said the withdrawal of candidacies is still allowed but the substitution already ended on Thursday, November 29.
In Bacolod City, no candidates filed for substitution.