Slain Makati engineer's sis is UNA mayoral bet in Albay town

LEGAZPI CITY – Vice President and United Nationalist Alliance chairman Jejomar Binay has announced that Malinao, Albay Vice Mayor Alice Morales, the sister of Makati City engineer Nelson Morales who was shot dead last Sept. 7, will be the mayoral bet of UNA in the town.

Binay, accompanied by his son Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay and some city officials, attended the interment of Morales in Barangay Poblacion, Malinao at around 10 a.m. yesterday.

“What happened saddened us all. But what Nelson intended to do in Malinao will be continued by his sister Vice Mayor Alice. UNA is declaring her as the party’s candidate for mayor in Malinao in next year’s elections,” Binay announced before hundreds of Morales’ supporters.

“We will continue what engineer Morales has started. All his dreams for the town of Malinao will be fulfilled by his sister, Vice Mayor Alice,” he said.

Binay also pledged to extend assistance to Malinao, saying his commitment to help the town will not be broken because of the death of Morales.

Binay said he is considering putting up a reward to ensure the arrest of the killers of Morales.

“We are still finalizing this plan. It only cropped up in my visit here. We will do everything to make the suspects pay for their crimes,” Binay said.

Task Force Morales was formed this week to launch a manhunt for the suspects believed to be members of a gun-for-hire led by a dismissed soldier.