‘Klasmit Boyet’ passes away

Guv race left between Garcia, Magpale

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu gubernatorial candidate Roliveth “Klasmit Boyet” Cortes passed away Saturday night due to cardiac arrest. He was 53 years old.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved Boyet Cortes known to most of you as Klasmit Govboyet. There are no words at this time to describe our grief but we are comforted that at the time of his death, he was doing what he loved to do - to serve the people,” Boyet’s brother, Glenn, announced on social media.

Carl Cabaluna, a relative of Cortes, said his Tito Boyet suffered from a heart attack at around 3 p.m. on Saturday while in a meeting with his political supporters in Mandaue City. He was immediately rushed to the hospital but died at 9:15 p.m.

“As you may already know he was a gubernatorial candidate for the Province of Cebu in the coming election. As family, we are honored by his undaunted faith and endeavors to serve the people and forever grateful to his friends and supporters,” Glenn said.

His wake is at St. Peter in Mandaue City. The date of internment is yet to be decided since they are still waiting for some members of the family abroad, including Boyet’s daughter in Canada.

With Cortes out of the gubernatorial race, the contention is now left between Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and Third District Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Both Magpale and Garcia have expressed their sympathies to the family of Cortes.

Garcia said she was saddened by the untimely death of Cortes, whom he described as a friend and a “worthy” opponent.

“Although we were both contenders in the gubernatorial race, we always maintained a mutual respect and appreciation for each other's views,” Garcia wrote in a text message.

“I extend my sincerest condolences to his bereaved family. And I pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Boyet Cortes. May he rest in peace,” she added.

Magpale said she was shocked upon learning the death of Cortes. Like Garcia, she also extended her condolences to the family.

 “I personally don’t know him. I have seen him in TV. I occasionally see him… but yes, he was a loss of a leader,” she said.

Cortes, a native from Masbate City, made a name in the media industry before venturing into politics in 2010. He started his journalism career as sports editor of The Visayanian, a campus publication of the University of the Visayas.

He later joined dyMF-Bombo Radyo as field reporter. He then moved to dyRF-Radio Familia of the Catholic Media Network before joining Bantay Radyo as one of its pioneer broadcasters.

He also hosted TV and radio block time programs. The most popular of which is the Cebuano agribusiness program "Let's Do Business" of ABS-CBN in Cebu and Davao where he got his “klasmit” moniker.

Boyet first ran for governor in 2010 but lost to Governor Hilario Davide III. He ran again in 2016 under PDP-Laban but was eventually eased out when his party had an alliance with former Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) general manager Winston Garcia. They both lost to reelectionist Davide.

For the May 2019 elections, Cortes filed his certificate of candidacy as independent. Provincial Election Supervisor Jerome Brilliantes said an independent candidate cannot be substituted unlike those who have secured a Certificate of Nominations and Acceptance (CONA) from a political party. (FREEMAN)