KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 28 April) – A candidate for city councilor here passed away Thursday morning due to cardiac arrest.
Engr. Wilfredo Aguilar, 65, a former district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), was found unconscious by family members past 4 a.m. and rushed to a private hospital but later pronounced dead.
Annabelle Frias, a member of Aguilar’s campaign team, said the latter’s wife Lourdes tried to wake him up to prepare for a campaign sortie but he was already unresponsive.
She said attending doctors at the Socomedics Medical Center declared that Aguilar, who had diabetes and a heart-related ailment, suffered a cardiac arrest.
“This was unexpected. He was very energetic in our campaign sorties these past days,” Frias said in a radio interview.
She said Aguilar, who is part of the Bagong Koronadal slate of incumbent City Mayor Eliordo Ogena, last joined a campaign rally in Barangay General Paulino Santos here Wednesday night and appeared fatigued but quite alright when he arrived at their headquarters past 8 p.m.
Outgoing South Cotabato board member Ester Marin-Catorce, who is also running for city councilor in the same slate, said their group was supposed to hold a “kapehan” Thursday morning in Purok Maawain, Barangay San Jose.
“Kaya pala hindi ka nakarating sa ating kapehan, tuluyan ka na palang magpapahinga (So that’s why you did not turn up in our kapehan, you’re resting for good),” she said in a Facebook post.
“Hindi ka man umabot sa finish line pero bitbit namin sa aming puso at isip ang hangarin mong maglingkod sa bayan. Maganda ang plano mo para sa lungsod ng Koronadal nguni’t mas maganda ang plano ng Panginoon para sa ‘yo (You may not have reached the finish line but we will carry in our hearts and minds your aspirations to serve the public. You had good plans for Koronadal but God had better plans for you),” Catorce added.
The Bagong Koronadal slate, backed by administration party PDP-Laban, has yet to announce arrangements for the replacement of Aguilar.
Aguilar had served as DPWH district and assistant district engineer, with stints in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao City. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
