Mark Villar accepts DPWH post

MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar on Tuesday confirmed that he has accepted the offer of presumptive president Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte to be a member of his Cabinet.

Villar decided to accept the offer of Duterte to head the Department of Public Works and Highways after consultation with his family and his constituents, according to a report from The STAR.

The Las Piñas lawmaker is the son of former Sen. Manny Villar and incumbent Sen. Cynthia Villar. He was supposed to run for a Senate seat this year but decided to seek re-election instead.

Villar was president of Crown Asia and MGS Corporations before entering politics. He was first elected in the House of Representatives (HOR) in 2010.

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The lawmaker recently won his third term at the HOR but his seat will be vacant as he has accepted Duterte's offer to head the DPWH.

Under Republic Act 7166, the Commission on Elections shall hold a special election to fill the vacancy at the HOR not earlier than 60 days nor longer than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.

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Duterte's Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan and the elder Villar's Nacionalista Party (NP) recently formed a coalition after both parties supported the presidential bid of the Davao City mayor.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the running mate of Duterte in the recent elections, is a member of the NP.

The two political parties initiated the merger in August 2015 to support the presidential bid of Duterte. — Patricia Lourdes Viray