Donsol Mayor died of heart attack not heat stroke, says kin

NAGA CITY, Philippines – A relative of Mayor Jerome Alcantara of Donsol said Friday the cause of his death was a heart attack and not heat stroke as what was reported by the police in Donsol.

Vida Alcantara, a daughter-in-law of the mayor, said in a telephone interview Friday that Alcantara went to the Estevez Memorial Hospital in Legazpi City for a regular checkup on Thursday but had a heart attack while inside the hospital.

She said the mayor, a diabetic, was transferred to the Aquinas University Hospital but he passed away at noon Thursday.

Haley Arellano, an aide at the Donsol Mayor’s Office, said the mayor had been feeling ill since Tuesday after attending his party’s proclamation rally and house-to-house campaign.

The mayor was seeking re-election in the May 13 balloting under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Vice Mayor Emeterio Belmonte, also Alcantara’s running mate, is to assume the position of mayor of Donsol.

Alcantara, 77, was running for his last term as mayor of Donsol, famous for the presence of whale sharks or butanding in its waters. His remains are in the family residence at Barangay (village) Bururan, Donsol.