In place of his slain father: Reluya’s son running as VM

CEBU, Philippines — The Reluya Family in San Fernando town, Cebu will not bow down to assailants who ambushed them last January.

Ambush survivor San Fernando Mayor Lakambini "Neneth" Reluya revealed to the public on Friday that her eldest son, Ricci, will replace her slain husband as her running mate.

Neil Papas, the public relations consultant of the Reluya Family, confirmed the news.

"Yes. Mayor Reluya announced it as she spoke during Team Reluya's campaign kick-off and proclamation rally at the jam-packed San Fernando Sports Complex yesterday (last Friday)," he said in a text message.

He said that the activity, which also happened during the opening of the campaign period for local candidates, was attended by gubernatorial candidate Gwendolyn Garcia and her running mate Daphne Salimbangon, together with senatorial candidate Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and incumbent Talisay City Mayor Eduardo “Eddigul” Gullas, who is running as congressman of Cebu's First District.

Mayor Reluya, who is seeking reelection, announced that day that Ricci, the eldest of three siblings, will replace the candidacy of her husband, who was running as the town's vice mayor.

Ricci is the current municipal administrator of San Fernando. He used to be Sangguniang Kabataan federation president and ex-officio member of the San Fernando municipal council.

"He is about to finish Bachelor of Laws. He was an alumnus of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.'s Young Minds Academy," said Papas.

The Commission on Elections allows substitution for a deceased candidate, but one of the conditions is that the substitute should have the same surname of the original candidate.

To recall, the Reluya couple and some San Fernando workers were riding a van heading to Cebu City when they were ambushed in Talisay City last January.

Mayor Reluya and two others survived, but her husband, Ricardo "Nonoy" Reluya Jr., and two of their companions were killed on the spot.

The mayor’s husband was the Association of Barangay Councils president in the town, and therefore sat as an ex-officio member of the municipal council.

Politics was eyed as the possible motive behind the ambush.

The mayor’s opponent for her post is Ruben Feliciano, who has denied he was behind the ambush. —/BRP (FREEMAN)