Unopposed Pulupandan mayoral candidate Antonio “Tony” Esteban Suatengco, 72, passed away at The Doctors’ Hospital in Bacolod City 7:30 p.m. Sunday, February 27.
The mayor succumbed to cardiac arrest, Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña said Monday.
He is survived by his son Lorenzo Suatengco, Association of Barangay Captains representative to the Pulupandan Sangguniang Bayan, who will run for mayor in his place, Peña said.
His son has had years of experience as a public official, the mayor said.
Peña, who is on his third term as mayor, is running for vice mayor of Pulupandan.
Antonio Suatengco was mayor of Pulupandan from 1988 to 1992 and 1995 to 2004, and vice mayor from 2007 to 2016.
The flag in Pulupandan is flying at half-mast for him.
He was running for mayor in this year’s polls under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
The mayoral candidate who was diabetic suffered from renal failure and other complications, his brother Eduardo Remigio “Remi” Suatengco said.
Suatengco was hospitalized for COVID-19 last year and later for pneumonia, his brother said.*