DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, May 31 (PIA) -- Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria was sworn in as the new governor of Negros Oriental.

Sagarbarria’s oathtaking was held this afternoon at the Legislative Building, Capitol Area, this city.

Executive Jude Gerardo Paguio Jr. administered Sagarbarria’s oathtaking in the presence of this family, colleagues in the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP), local officials in the province, and the media.

Sagarbarria assumed as the new governor following the untimely death of his predecessor, the late Gov. Carlo Jorge Joan “Guido” Reyes, in a hospital in Metro Manila due to a lingering illness.

He was immediately sworn in to prevent any leadership vacuum at the Capitol.

Sagarbarria said he is still in shock with the news of his predecessor’s passing.

His first order will for flags across the province to fly at half-mast of to pay respect to the late governor, and also express sympathies and condolences to the grieving family.

“Condolences to the Reyes family. Even though I have been with Gov. Guido for a short time especially when he was still at really good condition na - feel biya nako unsa siya na tawo (I felt who he was as a person). He really had the heart of the people,” Sagarbarria said.

He added that he will continue to pursue the plans and programs of his predecessor.

“I will try to do what he has started especially when it comes to assistance to the people. The first thing you should probably expect from me is to help the hospital. Ako nang tutukan para gud makatabang ko sa mga tawo in memory ani sa pinalanggang governor Guido (I will focus on it as my way of helping the people in memory also of our beloved Governor Guido),” he added.

Sagarbarria recalled that it was the late official’s goal to improve the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital to help the poor residents of the province in their medical needs.

Sagarbarria is the fourth official to be sworn in as governor of the province since the 2022 National and Local  Elections.

Former Bayawan City Mayor Pryde Henry Teves was first declared winner of the 2022 gubernatorial race after beating his major rival re-electionist Governor Roel Degamo.

In September of the same year, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ordered the nullification of Teves’s win after it released a decision directing the votes casted for a certain “Ruel Degamo,” a namesake of the incumbent official be transferred to Roel Degamo after it ruled that the former is a nuisance candidate.

This decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.

On March 4, Degamo was shot dead by armed men at his residence in Pamplona town.

Reyes, who was vice-governor at that time, was immediately sworn in as governor to avoid a vacuum of leadership in the province. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)