RESIDENTS of Duljo-Fatima are encouraged to cooperate with the new barangay captain, Elmer Abella, the first councilor, who took over the village chief post with the sudden demise of the barangay captain-elect Ricardo “Joel” Ycong.
Abella, who was the barangay captain for three-terms, won as the first councilor of Duljo-Fatima.
But with the death of Ycong, Abella would succeed Ycong as the village chief.
Abelgas, who together with Ycong are from the Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) group, made the call as the barangay mourned the death of Ycong, whose wake is being held at the Sta. Cruz Chapel in Sitio Micabaja, Barangay Duljo-Fatima.
According to family members, they had not yet decided when Ycong would be buried as they had yet to talk about it.
For his part, Abelgas, who is also a Duljo-Fatima councilor-elect, said that he was shocked and saddened by Ycong’s death.
“Wa mi kasabot sa among gibati ron human sa nahitabo. Blangko pa mi kay nagtuo mi nga siya na gyud makahatag og kabag-ohan dinhi sa Duljo (We don’t know how we feel with the demise of Ycong. We could not believe he is gone because he was the person we believed who could bring change in Duljo), Abelgas said in an interview with reporters.
On the other hand, Cebu City Councilors Joel Garganera and Raymond Alvin Garcia said they were saddened by the news.
“I’m saddened by the untimely demise of Captain Ycong and he was also a strong supporter of my father, former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia, under the Kusog party,” said Garcia.
He also urged residents in Duljo-Fatima to support Abella.
Ycong was found dead inside his house in the barangay after suffering from an apparent heart attack. His death came three days after the Barangay Board of Canvassers (BBOC) proclaimed him as the winner in the race for Duljo-Fatima’s barangay captain.
He was 57. Ycong,who first entered politics as a barangay kagawad in Duljo-Fatima in 2007, ran under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) party. But he shifted to Team Rama (the previous name of Barug Team Rama – PDP Laban) in 2010 until 2016. In this year’s election, he also shifted alliance and ran under the BO-PK.