AFTER six years, Cebu 1st District Board Member Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya has finally undergone surgery to remove an M16 bullet that had remained lodged in her arm since she survived a deadly ambush in 2019.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Reluya shared that the operation was performed on November 12 by Cebu 2nd District Board Member and physician Dr. Stanley Caminero.
Reluya said she decided to have the bullet extracted after visiting her late husband’s grave on All Souls’ Day, where she felt it was time to “move on.”
The surgery brought back painful memories of the January 22, 2019 ambush in Barangay Linao, Talisay City, which claimed the life of her husband, then–San Fernando Mayor Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr., along with two others.
Despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, Reluya miraculously survived the attack and continued to serve in public office.
She said the bullet had caused recurring pain over the years, and its removal brought not only physical relief but also emotional healing.
Reluya vowed to continue seeking justice for her husband and the others who were killed in the attack. (CDF)