Dumanjug mayor elected LMP vice president

CEBU, Philippines – The younger brother of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was elected yesterday as executive vice president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia was unanimously elected executive vice president for internal affairs of LMP.

It is the first time since the league was established in 1991 that a Cebuano holds such a high position.

Bacoor, Cavite Mayor Strike Revilla, younger brother of Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., was elected the league's president.

Nelson, a neophyte mayor, said he is confident that with his position, he can bring the concerns of Cebu town mayors to the league.

He said that Revilla got 43 votes out of the 76 mayors that were present during the election held at Crown Plaza in Ortigas, Pasig City. LMP has 80 chapter presidents across the country.

Nelson alleged that Revilla still won in the election despite intervention by Malacañang to vote for Palo, Leyte Mayor Remedios "Matin" Petilla.

"In spite of the pressures from Malacañang to vote for Petilla, still majority of the mayors voted for Revilla," he said. Petilla was a former governor and former congresswoman in Leyte while Revilla is now on his third term. (FREEMAN)