ILOILO CITY – The Commission on Elections has launched an investigation over the verbal confrontation between the mayor and vice mayor during the filing of Certificates of Candidacy in San Joaquin town, Iloilo province.
A VIDEO grab of the heated exchange between Mayor Ninfa Serag-Garin (right) and Vice Mayor Marvigrace Getuya-Lago of San Joaquin town, Iloilo province on Thursday, October 3. (Contributed)
“We are awaiting the report of the investigation from the police,” said Reiner Layson, Iloilo election supervisor.
A verbal confrontation between Mayor Ninfa Serag-Garin and Vice Mayor Mayor Marvigrace Getuya-Lago ensued after Lago filed her COC on Thursday, October 3.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/3/iloilo-town-mayor-vice-mayor-in-heated-exchange
Layson said he has talked to Police Col. Bayani Razalan of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) for coordination in the investigation of the isolated incident.
“Generally, the COC filing has been orderly and peaceful since, October 1,” Layson said on Friday, October 4.
Layson said the heated exchange between Garin and Lago was more of a family than a political conflict.
Garin and Lago are relatives as the vice mayor is the daughter of the mayor’s first cousin Vilma.
The conflict became public last June when the vice mayor’s mother barricaded the extension hospital managed by the Department of Health and funded by the San Joaquin local government.
Vilma Getuya, the vice mayor’s mother, wanted to revoke the deed of donation of her family.
Layson requested an extension of the security perimeter to outside the COC filing area in San Joaquin to deter more untoward incidents until October 8, the last day of COC filing.