Gambito takes oath as Nueva Vizcaya governor

By Vince Jacob Visaya

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya -- Jose "Jing" Gambito, the elected vice governor, was officially sworn into office as the governor of Nueva Vizcaya on Friday afternoon, May 5, at the Provincial Capitol building here.
    His ascension came after the elected governor, Carlos Padilla, 78, succumbed to heart attack on Friday morning inside his house in Barangay Quirino, Solano town.
    Gambito, 69, spent most of the day on Friday mourning and showing sympathy at the Padilla residence before he was asked to officially take over the office of the governor late in the afternoon to avoid dereliction of duty due to the leadership vacuum.
    Eufemia Dacayo, the provincial board member who garnered the most votes during the 2022 elections, also took oath as vice governor to fill in the post left by Gambito.
    The vacant board member post has yet to be decided.
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    Padilla's son Jojo and daughter Ruthie Mae announced their father's death while Dr. Anthony Cortez determined the cause of the death as acute myocardial infarction or heart attack.
    Padilla served as assemblyman and representative for the lone district of Nueva Vizcaya for 29 years. He was in his third term as governor when he died.
    As this developed, the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) honored the late governor under General Assembly Resolution 2023-013 for his dedication and commitment to serving his people and to giving heartfelt condolences to those he left behind.
    "Now, therefore, the League of Provinces of the Philippines, in appreciation of his indefatigable service to our people, expresses its eternal gratitude to a colleague and mentor, Gov. Carlos M. Padilla," the league said.
    "LPP conveys its heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of Governor Padilla, whose death leaves a huge dent as an irreplaceable forebear in their lives," it added.
    He also served as deputy speaker and a minority leader while in Congress. He became a member of the     Commission on Appointments and the House of Representative Electoral Tribunal.
    Padilla was married to Ruth Raña Padilla, who also served as provincial governor of Nueva Vizcaya and commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission. They have three children — Carlos "Jojo" 2nd, Ruthie Maye and Carlo Paolo.