CEBU, Philippines - Liloan Vice Mayor Merelito Surita, who served the town for several years, died yesterday dawn due to colon cancer.
Surita, 57, served as barangay captain of Catarman for several years and was then elected as president of the Association of Barangay Councils of Liloan and sat as ex-officio member of the municipal council.
He served as vice mayor from 2004 to 2007 during the incumbency of former mayor Maria Sevilla, sister of Mayor Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco's grandmother.
In 2007, the leadership in Liloan town changed with the entry of Mayor Duke Frasco and Vice Mayor Thelma Jordan.
But Surita continued his public service by serving as barangay captain of Catarman.
In the 2010 elections, the opposition failed to put up a fight for the mayoralty post to contest the leadership of Mayor Frasco.
Frasco ran for reelection unopposed.
Surita, on the other hand, sought the vice mayoralty post and won over Jordan, Frasco's running mate.
He was with the opposition but Surita supported the Frasco administration.
He accompanied Mayor Frasco several times, especially during his visits to schools and barangays.