| Photo grabbed from the Facebook page of Samsam Gullas
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas has expressed sadness on the decision of Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong to already vacate his post starting on March 16.
Gullas said that Chiong, who is a very close ally under the Alayon party in Cebu’s first district, “has always been a great leader, and how he had lead Naga is proof of that.”
Still, Gullas said that he would have to support Chiong’s decision to already leave politics.
Read: Gwen saddened over Chiong’s resignation; expresses confidence on Kristine as mayor again
“Alayon is an organization that respects the individual decisions of all our mayors and leaders in the district,” Gullas said in a statement posted on his Facebook page this afternoon, February 26, 2020.
“While I would have wanted him to stay, and I truly asked him to stay, at least until the end of this term, our type of leadership is one that is not dictated by one person controlling another but centered around making a collective decision with all the leaders and stakeholders involved,” he added.
Gullas said that he would continue to support Chiong despite his decision to take a break from politics.
“I believe that’s the sole reason why every election or in every decision our group makes, we make it collectively and as one. Because we truly support each other like family. I will continue to support Mayor Val because he has been one of my mentors in politics and one of the advisors I hold most deeply,” he said./dbs