Mayor quits; daughter takes over in Ecija town

PALAYAN CITY—Citing a mild stroke that he suffered from in 2008 and an angioplasty in 2011, Mayor Ubaldino Lacorum of Nampicuan town, Nueva Ecija province, has resigned, leaving his daughter, who is the town’s vice mayor, to take over his post on July 1.

In his June 6 letter to Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali, Lacorum, 81, a former trial court judge, said his health condition required him to “slow down.”

“I critically need to slow down the pace of physical and mental activities, but the paramount reason is I want to enjoy my pension as a retired regional trial court judge for a few more years while I live in this world,” said Lacorum, who won a third term in 2013.

Lacorum said he underwent angioplasty at the Philippine Heart Center in 2011 and had a pacemaker implantation surgery in the same facility in 2012.

In the letter, Lacorum assured Umali of continuous support since the vice mayor, Cora Lacorum-Villanueva, is his daughter.

“Anyway, my successor to the position for the rest of my three-year term is my daughter… and we assure you of our unflinching loyalty to you and [Nueva Ecija Rep. Czarina] Umali (the governor’s wife),” Lacorum said.

Abraham Pascua, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said Villanueva’s assumption into office once her father’s resignation takes effect was legal “by operation of law.”

Villanueva, in turn, will be replaced by Councilor Marlou Gamboa. The three are members of the Liberal Party, which Umali heads in the province. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon