Leyte’s elected officials take their oath of office

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines  — Court of Appeals Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos on Sunday led the oath-taking of the newly elected officials in Leyte province, including three councilors from the highly urbanized Tacloban City.

Delos Santos administered the oath of Governor Leopoldo Dominico Loreto Petilla, while elected Representative Victoria Isabel Noel of An Waray party-list swore in Vice Governor Carlo Petilla Loreto.

Regional Trial Court Judges then took turn in inducting into office the mayors, vice mayors and councilors of 39 towns in the province. Palompon town failed to send its elected officials, and not all of the towns came in complete of their officials for the oath-taking rites, due to various reasons.

Judge Carlos Arguelles of Baybay RTC was inducting officer for elected officials of the towns in the 5th District of Leyte, while Judge Evelyn Riños-Lesigues of Tacloban RTC was for those of the 4th District.

Judge Eulogio Petilla, also of Tacloban RTC swore in the officials for the 3rd District, Judge Lauro Andres Castillo Jr of Carigara RTC for those of the 2nd District; and Judge Altone Miralles of RTC Tacloban for those of the 1st District.

Governor Petilla, after taking his oath, administered the oath taking of 2nd District Representative Henry Ong and 3rd District Representative Vicente “Ching” Veloso.

The governor was flanked by his immediate family, among them his parents—former governor Leopoldo Petilla and incumbent Palo town Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla — and brother, former Energy Secretary and former governor Carlos Jericho Petilla.

In his inaugural speech, Governor Petilla, setting aside political affiliations, underscored the need for unity to help further propel development and succeed in the pursuits of the provincial government in cooperation with the municipal governments.

While there were feelers, among some elected officials in the province, of transferring to the ruling PDP-Laban Party of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, the governor and his mother Mayor Petilla said they have not decided on this matter yet.

Governor Petilla however promised to sustain the economic gains achieved during his first term, adding that his priority now would be raising the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and enhancing education, social services and other initiatives, especially for the marginalized sector.  (FREEMAN)