Surigao del Sur governor dies in his sleep
TANDAG CITY – Surigao del Sur Governor Vicente T. Pimentel, Jr. passed away early morning on Christmas day at the age of 72.
Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel told The Manila Bulletin that his brother might have died in between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Christmas Day, but was only discovered by the family members who were waking him up for breakfast.
“He was just sleeping,” declared Rep. Pimentel who represents the Second District of Surigao del Sur province.
Rep. Pimentel said he was not sure if his brother suffered heart failure as cause of his death, pending official announcement by the family physician.
According to him, the governor even attended the family’s traditional Christmas party the night before.
By not elaborating further, Rep. Pimentel said he died during his sleep.
The Surigao del Sur solon said a three-day vigil will be held in Carrascal town, where the governor also served as town mayor. A three-night vigil will then follow at the Provincial Capitol here.
He said their family has yet to announce details of other activities including interment.
Prior to becoming governor of the province, he served as mayor of Carrascal town from 1992 to 2001 and 2010 to 2016. He started his political career as barangay captain in the province’s capital city of Tandag.
He secured another term as the town's mayor from 2010 to 2016, then got elected as the province's governor again in 2016.
Vice Governor Manuel Alameda, Sr. will assume the governorship until a new governor is elected in May 2019, it was gathered.
The former provincial chief executive earlier filed for re-election in the gubernatorial race of the province in the mid-term 2019 elections, but later withdrew his candidacy due to health reasons.