FOLLOWING the ambush that led to her wounding and the death of her husband and two of her staff members, San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya has decided to take a 29-day medical leave so she can recover from her injuries.
Edsel Laguda, acting San Fernando municipal treasurer and current spokesperson for the municipal government, confirmed the mayor’s leave on Friday, Feb. 1.
Reluya has been confined in an undisclosed hospital after she, her husband and four other companions were ambushed in Barangay Linao, Talisay City on Jan. 22.
Her husband, Association of Barangay Councils president Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr., and two of her staff members were killed while two of her bodyguards survived.
Laguda said following the mayor’s medical leave, the Sangguniang Panlungsod will meet on Monday during their regular session to discuss who will assume the post of acting mayor.
With San Fernando Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones still on leave, first Councilor Gemma Bacalla, who is currently serving as acting vice mayor, is supposed to assume Reluya’s post.
But Laguda said the municipal council needs to pass a resolution to determine who will serve as official signatory to municipal transactions while Reluya is on leave.
As the mayor recuperates from her injuries, text messages stating that Reluya can no longer go back to her duties after she was allegedly tagged by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as a “narcopolitician” have started circulating around town.
The text message stated that under an alleged DILG circular, Reluya can no longer return to her post due to allegations that she is a drug protector.
Laguda confirmed reading the said text message which was also circulated in social media.
But Laguda believes that the text message was meant to malign Reluya’s reputation, especially since she is seeking reelection.
Separately, DILG 7 information officer Michael Braga denied their office issued an order against Reluya or circulated the incriminating text message.
“After verifying with our legal department, we are making it clear to the public that no memorandum of such nature has been issued either by the DILG Central Office or Region 7. Further, may we ask the public to cease from sharing the text message as it may mislead others,” Braga said.