No SK bets in 60 Bicol villages

LEGAZPI CITY – At least 60 barangays in the Bicol region had no candidates for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election.

There were no candidates for SK kagawad in 23 barangays in Sorsogon, 20 in Catanduanes, five in Albay and one each in Jose Panganiban, Labo and Paracale towns, Romy Serrano, Commission on Elections-Bicol assistant regional director, said yesterday.

Serrano said there were no candidates for SK chairman in Barangay Mina, Camalig and Sagpon in this city and Lubigan, Bato, Camarines Sur.

“This probably could be the effect of the anti-dynasty provision of the SK Reform Act,” Serrano said.

Under the law, SK candidates “must not be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal or barangay official in the locality where he or she seeks to be elected.”

Winning bets held, charged

Meanwhile, Melvin Fortajada, who was re-elected as chairman of Barangay Malasila in Makilala, North Cotabato, was arrested after sachets of shabu and bullets were allegedly recovered during a raid on his house before dawn yesterday.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Soccsksargen said they conducted the raid after receiving reports on Fortajada’s alleged drug links.

In Isabela, murder charges were filed yesterday against Jolly Ladiero who won as barangay chairman in Trinidad, Mallig.

Senior Superintendent Mariano Rodriguez, Isabela police director, said a witness claimed Ladiero gunned down incumbent village chief Bartolome Mackay while jogging in a rice field on May 9.