Mirasol takes oath in House
BY CARLA GOMEZ

BATASANG PAMBANSA, QC - Members of the House of Representative stood up and applauded Alejandro Mirasol as he took his oath as congressman of the fifth district of Negros Occidental before House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte at 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

Mirasol, who is the newest and the last addition to the 15th Congress, took his oath, with his wife Mary Ann by his side, along with his sister-in law Dolly Llamas, and her husband Francisco, and Negros Representatives Alfredo Benitez, Mercedes Alvarez and Alfredo Marañon III.

Mirasol of the Liberal Party won with 81,982 votes, or a lead of 13,103 votes, over his nephew Board Member Emilio Yulo III of the Nacionalista Party, who garnered 68,879 votes in a special election held Saturday.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday praised both the winning and losing candidates in the recent special election for the 5th district congressional seat in Negros Occidental, for displaying the highest level of professionalism in their political campaign.

This contributed to the holding of a peaceful and orderly election in the 5th district, with the cooperation of its populace, Marañon, who also commended the military and police for a job well done in their peacekeeping mission, said.

Despite heavy rains, Marañon said, the people of the 5th district flocked to polling places, and voted for their candidate.

The official of the Department of Education and six other men, including two minors, arrested at an alleged drug den in Purok Maabi-abihon in Brgy. Banago Bacolod City, tested positive for shabu use, City Police Director, Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz confirmed yesterday.

De la Paz said they are preparing the documents needed to file charges for illegal drug use against Joshua Santillana, 55, of Fortune Towne Subdivision in Brgy. Villamonte and a DepEd District Supervisor assigned in Cadiz City.