TIGAON, CAMARINES SUR – Vice President Jejomar Binay came to this town to administer the Oaths of Office of three elected officials belonging to the influential Fuentebella clan of the Partido district of Camarines Sur province, joined by nine elected mayors of the district including other mayors belonging to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in three other districts of the province.
In what is considered the most pompous oath-taking ceremony for newly elected officials held in the province after the May 2013 elections, President Binay primarily administered the oath Wednesday (July 3) to newly elected Congressman of the Partido district (C. Sur 4th district) Felix William B. Fuentebella who succeeded his father, outgoing Congressman Arnulfo “Noli” Fuentebella. The latter was the congressional representative of the district from 2005 to 2013.
Other Fuentebella clan members who took their oath before the Vice-President were re-elected Tigaon town Mayor Arnulfo Bryan B. Fuentebella and his mother, re-elected Sañgay town Mayor Evelyn Bukid Fuentebella.
Earlier, Tigaon town Mayor “Arnie” Fuentebella sought the help of the PNP Provincial Office and the Armed Forces not only to secure Vice President Binay in the locality but also to prevent the rumored protest rally that might be staged by supporters of defeated Congressional candidate Aga Muhlach.
At the oath-taking rites, patriarch “Noli” Fuentebella said that the victory of newly elected Congressman “Wimpy” Fuentebella has been further strengthened by a recent decision of the COMELEC First Division dismissing the Petition filed by the counsels of Muhlach for the “annulment of Proclamation” of Fuentebella. The decision was issued on June 20 this year.
Citing his accomplishments during his consecutive terms as Congressman, the elder Fuentebella said he was leaving the district with “institutional development” that had served the economic, educational and social needs of the district, like the Partido Development Authority, (PDA) the Partido State University and the Partido Water Supply System.
Fuentebella’s so called “institutional development” during his terms from 1992-2005 and 2005 to 2013 is detailed in a book “Building Institutions” (The Fuentebella Legacy, copyright 2013) written by Coylee Gamboa, former financial markets editor of the “Asian Wall Street Journal” and news editor of the “Business Times” of Singapore. (SONNY SALES)