Roliveth “Klasmit Boyet” Cortes speaks during a candidates’ forum organized b y the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) in April 20, 2016 file photo. /CDN Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Provincial Board Members on Monday afternoon passed a resolution expressing sympathy to the family of the late gubernatorial candidate Roliveth “Klasmit Boyet” Cortes who died of a heart attack on Sunday, February 3.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, the PB chairperson and author of the approved resolution, said that while she is not close with Cortes, she knew that his death was a “sad thing” for his family and close friends.
“I express my deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Boyet Cortes. I have never really been that close to him. I saw him from a distance and (on) his TV program and it is always a sad thing (that he is already dead),” Magpale said in an interview after the PB’s regular session.
Read More: Candidate for Cebu governor, Boyet ‘Klasmit’ Cortes, passes away
Cortes first run for Cebu governor in 2013 but lost to incumbent Governor Hilario Davide III. He again sought the position in 2016 against Davide and One Cebu bet Winston Garcia but also lost the gubernatorial race to Davide.
Cortes
Last October, Cortes was all smiles when he filed for the third time his Certificate of Candidacy for Cebu governor against Magpale and third district Representative Gwendolyn Garcia.
In a separate interview, Acting Cebu Election Supervisor Jerome Brillantes told Cebu Daily News Digital that substitution cannot be made in Cortes’ case since he was running as an independent candidate. Brillantes, however, said that he cannot yet confirm if Cortes’ name would still be included in the official ballot which will be used in the May polls.
“I already called our Law Department kay sila man na ang magdecide. However, dili pa man ma-confirm if makaya pa og tangtang sa iyang (Cortes’) name (from the officials ballot),”Brillantes said.
If Cortes’ name would still be carried in the ballot, Brillantes explained that votes cast for Cortes will be considered void.
He, however, assured that the votes cast for other candidates whose names also appear on the official ballot will still be counted for said candidates./dcb