DAANBANTAYAN Mayor Vicente Loot returned to the Municipal Hall on Friday, Jan. 4, after being absent from public view for almost eight months.
Vice Mayor Gilbert Arrabis made the confirmation to SunStar Cebu.
With Loot back in office, Arrabis also returned to the Municipal Council as its presiding chairman.
Loot reportedly sent formal communication to Arrabis and Gov. Hilario Davide III regarding his return.
On the town’s official Facebook (FB) page, Loot was seen meeting with department heads and local elected officials.
On his personal FB page, Loot said he returned to office because he cared for his constituents.
“Kay ang gugma ko alang kaninyo. Sa akong pagbalik padayon ta sa pagkab-ot sa atong mga damgo. Gugma ko, gugma ninyo, inubanan sa inyong kinasingkasing ug hugot nga suporta—kalampusan nato (I have a love for you. With my return, let’s continue to reach for our dreams. My love, your love, together with your heartfelt support—to our success)!” Loot posted on his FB page.
Since last May, the retired police general had disappeared from the public eye after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to kill him over allegations that he is a drug protector.
Just before the May 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Loot and his family were ambushed by unidentified assailants while disembarking from a docked boat in Barangay Maya.
Despite his absence, Loot had assured his constituents that his work as the town’s highest official remained normal despite his admission that he was hiding for security reasons.
Last November, Loot filed a request for a month-long vacation leave before Governor Davide to travel to the US and Canada to visit his elder sisters. He then sought permission to extend his vacation so he could spend Christmas and the New Year with his family there. JKV