LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Reelectionist Donsol, Sorsogon mayor Jerome Alcantara died on Thursday, April 11, due to heat stroke.
The 78-year old reelectionist candidate was rushed to Estevez Hospital on Wednesday after he fainted while campaigning. He was later transferred to Aquinas University Hospital where he died on Thursday morning.
Alcantara is the first re-electionist mayor across the region who succumbed to heat stroke.
Physician Corazon Verata said that Alcantara’s death could have been aggravated by his diabetes and old age. Alcantara’s wife Edith confirmed that her husband was indeed suffering from different illnesses, particularly diabetes and pneumonia.
Alcantara was running for his third term under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) against two opponents.
His wife said that they actually discouraged Alcantara to run for reelection due to his health problems. “But he insisted to finish his third term,” Mrs. Alcantara said.
She added that no member of their family is willing to substitute for Alcantara’s candidacy.
In 2010, Alcantara ran under the Liberal Party (LP) and won in a 4-way race after getting 8,294 votes.
He faced criminal charges filed by the Ombudsman after being found guilty in 2011 of malicious mischief. He reportedly opened fire at a van of a certain Lalaine Cadag in 2008.
Donsol, a popular tourist destination for whale shark viewing, has 22,696 voters this year. Voting population in the town dropped from 23,193 voters in 2010.
Heat stroke also claimed the life of former Batangas governor Armando Sanchez when he was campaigning in the 2010 elections. – with reports from Reynaldo Santos Jr., Rappler.com
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