A mother was appointed councilor in Muntinlupa just two months before the local elections to replace her son who passed away in January 2020.
Newly appointed Muntinlupa District 2 Coun. Estrellita Santiago took her oath on March 10 before Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and witnessed by Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Vice Mayor Artemio Simundac and Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro of the Muntinlupa City Council.
She is the mother of the late Coun. Neptali Santiago who died on Jan. 23, 2020 due to cardiac arrest. He was 48.
Under Sec. 45 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, for permanent vacancy in a sanggunian (council), the President, through the executive secretary, will make the appointment “in the case of the sangguniang panlalawigan and the sangguniang panlungsod of highly urbanized cities and independent component cities.”
“Vacancy in the office of the city councilor in Metro Manila and in other highly urbanized cities in the country is filled up by the President,” said Corro.
He said when Santiago died in 2020, “the political party under which he ran (PDP-Laban) recommended Estrellita Santiago to replace her son. The recommendation was made soon after his death but the Office of the President only acted on the appointment last March 4, 2022.”
“That is the prerogative of the appointing authority and the newly-appointed has less than four months or until noon of June 30, 2022 to complete the term left vacant by the late Councilor Neptali Santiago,” added Corro.
The national and local elections will be held on May 9.